Harry Potter and the Star of Hope
by Seshat
Summary: CHAPTER 13 IS UP!!!! Please people R/R!!! A new girl from America and her sister have transfered into Hogwarts. So what's out of the ordinary? They both can see the future and the older girl has visions about Harry. Read and Review!!!! *FINISHED!*
1. Welcome Home

Author's Note: Hello Harry Potter Fans! I have decided to go ahead and try to write my own fanfic. This is my first one so I don't know how good it is. (And for those of you who say it reminds you of a Mary Sue fic, I don't even know who that is, so it is completely unintentional)  
  
PART 1: TOLBLOX  
  
Chapter 1:Welcome Home  
  
'Finally!' she thought, 'How I missed this old place.'  
  
J.D. Miller sat in her usual chair in the Main Hall waiting with the rest of her schoolmates for the Welcoming Dinner to begin. As the headmistress, Stefanie Upenowse, stood up to make her usual speech, J.D. was busy looking around at the familiar faces. She was eager to begin her fifth year at Tolblox School of Witchcraft, hoping that this year would be an improvement over the previous one. She shuddered as she remembered the sight of her dormitory going up in flames, while there was nothing she could do or say. Giving herself a little shake, J.D. turned back to Professor Upenowse's speech.   
  
"... This year should prove to be an excellent one and I know my students will make me proud." She paused a moment, as one of the teachers to her left whispered something in her ear. "Oh yes, I nearly forgot. This year we are pleased to announce that one the most famous schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Hogwarts, is accepting four transfer students from our humble school. In order to determine who should take advantage of this wonderful opportunity we will be holding a contest at the end of the week. Because we feel that you need a strong foundation in magic, the contest is only open to fourth year students and above. The heads of your houses will explain the details later on."  
  
The Hall was filled with excited chatter. J.D. was only thinking about one thing. Professor Upenowse had said Hogwarts was a school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A school with boys? J.D. had spent the majority of the past four years at Tolblox, a private, all girls, academy. Occasionally the school held balls with a neighboring all boys school, but those weren't very common. She glanced down the table to see how her sister Crystal was reacting to the announcement. Crystal looked like her usual self, sullen and silent. J.D. wished, for probably the fiftieth time, that Crystal would lighten up and enjoy life.   
  
Looking up as if she could feel J.D. watching her, Crystal turned to look at her sister. She smirked and then went back to her meal. Crystal could be so annoying. Lost in thought J.D. did not realize that Professor Upenowse was not through talking.  
  
"Since this is another new year, it is time for our annual tradition. I will explain to those of you who are new to our school. Every year at the Welcoming Dinner, each student and member of the staff," she glanced around quickly, "fills out one of those small strips of paper on your table. On the paper you are to write your 'New Year's resolution' and place it into the small bear statue that is also on the table. At the end of the year those students who successfully complete their resolutions win their house twenty points. However, in order to make this a challenge," she said eyeing some students who were obviously thinking that they would simply make an easy resolution, "the statue will reject your slip if it is not about something you really need to work on." She paused, "I am very glad to see all of you again."   
  
J.D. felt a tap on her shoulder and came back to Earth.  
  
"J.D. your resolution. What's it gonna be this year?"   
  
Sitting next to J.D. was her best friend at Tolblox, Serena Goldfaden. They had met in their first year and were very close. Serena was the only student at Tolblox who knew the big secret about J.D. and Crystal.   
  
"Oh, I don't know, probably the same as every other year. I can never seem to actually accomplish it. How 'bout you?"  
  
"I guess I'll resolve to exercise more. I am horribly out of shape. Hey, I wonder what that contest thing is all about."  
  
"You mean that you don't know?"   
  
J.D. turned to look at the girl who had just walked up behind them. 'Oh not Gabriele again.' she thought. Gabriele Soroka was the daughter of an rich internet tycoon and she thought she knew everything.   
  
"Look, Gabby, either tell us or don't tell us. Either way we really don't care." Serena replied. She and Gabriele couldn't stand each other.   
  
"For your information, Goldfaden, the contest is really a series of tests to see if your smart enough for Hogwarts. There are tasks to complete for each of the main subjects. I know I'll do well and I'll have Daddy get me into the final four."  
  
Completely ignoring the last two sentences, Serena said, "That's it? Well Miss Priss, I know for a fact that J.D. will be first on that list. She can pass any task they throw at her."  
  
"Her? Puh-lease! She couldn't make it to Hogwarts if she bought her own ticket and flew to England!"  
  
J.D. was beginning to be annoyed. "Look Soroka, just shove off will you? Come on Serena, let's go to our dormitory."  
  
She shoved out her chair and started walking away with Serena hurrying to keep up.   
  
"Who does she think she is anyway?" J.D. and Serena were walking down the third floor hallway watching as the statues along the wall kept moving positions. Soon they arrived in front of the entrance to their Dorm rooms. A large banner with the name _Delphinus_ in a perfect sea blue color was printed across the top and a picture of their house mascot, the dolphin, below. Taking out her wand, J.D. looked around quickly to make sure no one was watching and whispered, "Baraque". Music poured out of her wand, sounding like Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, and a door slowly appeared in the smooth sandstone wall in front of the two girls. Grasping the handle Serena pushed it in and they entered the common room. They were immediately greeted by another friend, Cynthia Morris.   
  
"Hi, guys," Cynthia said somewhat shyly, "Did you guys hear about all of the tests for Hogwarts? I wish I could go, but I probably wouldn't do very well."  
  
"Cynthia, you've really improved since our first year! You've even been doing better in Charms." exclaimed J.D.  
  
"Yeah, I guess, but..."  
  
"Cynthia, have you been talking to Gabriele again? You know she's just jealous of us because Velox has never beaten Delphinus in Quidditch. She's just putting you down, don't let her get to you," said Serena.   
  
"I try, but sometimes I think she may be right." Cynthia said dejectedly.  
  
"That's just nonsense. Why don't you go for it? The worst that happens is that you don't get to go and you stay here. I mean, this place would be perfect if there were some boys here. I know that they're supposed to 'disrupt the learning process' and all, but really. You'd do fine." said J.D.  
  
"Thanks J.D. Maybe I will try it. You guys want to play a game of Travel Ding-Dong?" Ding-Dong is a popular American magic game very much like ping-pong only there are no paddles and every time the ball is returned it makes a noise.  
  
"No thanks Cynthia, I think I'll go upstairs and unpack." J.D. started to walk away, with Serena following closely behind.  
  
* * *  
  
She was standing in front of the mirror wondering how this seemingly ordinary girl could be the one with all of the secrets. Two blue-green eyes, chin length curly brown hair, a regular person's nose, nothing out of the ordinary in her appearance. Yet she was one of the True Seers. J.D. sometimes hated her so-called 'Gift'; it wasn't a gift it was a burden.   
  
No one could understand how horrible it was to have been the only one who knew that the dorm rooms were going to go up in flames that night. She had had a vision the night before, of everything burning, and she couldn't say a word. Professor Upenowse was the only one, besides Serena, who knew that she and Crystal could know the future. J.D. sighed and turned away from the mirror. Going over to her twin-sized bed (blue of course)she listened to the sounds of the girls already asleep in the other beds.  
  
'I want so badly to go to Hogwarts,' she thought, 'but what if, with my gift and all, they wouldn't want me? I know I could pass the tests; Charms is my best subject, I do fine in Transfiguration, I'm okay in Potions, I'm pretty skillful with those curses, and Divination will be a snap with my knowledge of the future. I should at least give it a try.'  
  
Having reassured herself sufficiently she climbed under the covers and fell asleep. The dreams she had that night she would not remember in the morning.  



	2. Divination

A/N: Hi everybody! For those of you who reviewed my story I just wanted to say thanks! If this looks a little different to you that's because I had to go back and fix all of may chapters. Oh well, live and learn.  
  
Chapter 2Divination  
  
Glad to be back in the swing of things, J.D. and Serena walked down the next morning for breakfast. Enjoying a light breakfast of eggs and bacon, the girls at the Delphinus table talked, joked, compared class schedules, exchanged rumors about the contest, and waited for the post to arrive.  
  
"Oh great, we have Divination first."  
  
"I met this great guy at the beach last summer, he said he'd write-"  
  
"You signed up for Advanced Charms? I should have done that!"  
  
"I heard this really funny joke, my brother told it to me-"  
  
"Sure is great to be back, huh?"  
  
"Serena, why did we sign up for Divination again? We could be doing something so much more useful!" J.D. complained to her best friend.  
  
"You know we chose it 'cause it's an easy pass. Especially for you."  
  
"But I hate it." Lowering her voice so that the other girls wouldn't hear, J.D. continued, "I hate Professor Cole. She is so phony and no matter how hard I try to be silent in class, some of my natural fortune-telling abilities come out. She loves me for it and it makes me nervous."  
  
"Look at it this way, your gift will come in handy for the Divination portion of the test and your sure to pass the rest. After that you're on your way to Hogwarts!"  
  
"Yeah I guess. Well, let's go and get this over with."   
  
They got up from the table an walked toward their Divination classroom. J.D. was trying to plan how to avoid calling attention to herself and almost walked past it.   
  
They went inside and took their usual seats. The classroom looked like an old, dusty antiques shop. The walls were covered with posters of the constellations, there were shelves of crystal balls (a few were broken), and miscellaneous books with titles like: Divination and You!, Finding Your Inner Eye, and J.D.'s personal favorite, So You Want to Know the Future. As the class settled into their usual chairs, which were strange, almost like bean bag chairs, Professor Cole glided into the room.  
  
"Hello children, it is good to see all of you again. I had a vision, and was afraid that some of you would not be returning to our class. I am glad to see that it was one prediction that did not come true, all though, and be honest, some of you were thinking about not continuing with your study of the future, correct?"  
  
No one raised a hand. A few girls in the front of the room, who Serena always referred to as the 'wannabes', were shaking their heads as if Professor Cole's question had been an accusation against them personally. Walking around the classroom, Professor Cole stopped in front of J.D. and Serena.  
  
"Ah, Miss Miller. Would you like to share with the class any visions you have received this summer?"  
  
J.D. could feel herself blushing. "Uh, actually Professor, it's been rather quiet vision wise."  
  
A few people snickered.  
  
Professor Cole looked disappointed. "Oh, well, that's alright dear. Did any one have a vision or prediction come to them during summer vacation?"  
  
One girl raised her hand and began, in a loud voice, to tell the class about it. J.D. wasn't really listening, she was too busy thinking about how she had dodged a bullet. She could just imagine how Professor Cole would react if she had heard that J.D. had had a vision.   
  
It had been about three weeks before the end of summer break and J.D. was at home reading a book in her room when it happened. It hit quickly, like a bolt of lightning, and she fell out her chair, struck by the force of the vision. There had been a lot of green light in her vision and a high pitched laugh, a laugh that had made her blood run cold. There was a boy, very young, with messy black hair. And then all of the sudden, as if she was watching a movie in fast forward, the boy began to grow up. He got taller and taller and the man with the laugh found him and sent a wave of light at the boy, who collapsed. The vision was almost at an end when the boy pulled a large chunk of something out of his robes and just held it. A light began to glow from the rock and it swirled brighter and brighter until everything was drenched in the light. She woke up sweating.   
  
J.D. was jarred from this memory as Professor Cole started speaking in her misty voice about how Lilliann's vision of a girl crying was an omen for someone in the class. Serena, seeing how miserable this class was making her best friend, decided to do her a favor. She grabbed her head and started moaning and shaking.  
  
"No, not the glass! Don't break the glass! Help I'm drowning in the fire! Grab the boy, the other boy!" Serena started yelling.  
  
She certainly accomplished her goal. Professor Cole rushed over and began questioning her. The other girls just looked at her in amazement while J.D. fought the urge to laugh.  
  
"Miss Goldfaden, are you feeling all right? Tell me child what did you See?"  
  
"Oh Professor it was horrible! Don't make me say it, I just can't, I can't!" Serena's voice rose to a higher pitch and she was shaking very hard.  
  
"Alright Miss Goldfaden, just please calm down. I think that we had better end the lesson there for today, class. Miss Miller, please escort Miss Goldfaden up to your dormitories."  
  
"Yes Professor," J.D. replied.  
  
The class began to pack up and J.D. made a big show of helping Serena to the door. When they reached the third floor hallway they both burst into laughter.  
  
"That was brilliant! I knew you were a great actress, but that was genius. You got us out of class forty-five minutes early!"  
  
"Thanks. I know, I know, I act as well as you play Quidditch. And you're welcome. Just don't expect me to do that every class, my head still hurts. How do you stand it?"  
  
"My head hurts too when it happens. But if I get into Hogwarts then you don't have to worry about doing that for me again because I can guarantee that I won't be taking Divination there."  
  
They reached the sandstone wall and just like the day before J.D. pulled out her wand and played the music. She opened the door and the two of them went inside.  
  
* * *  
  
The rest of the week flew by quickly. J.D. was pleased to find out that she hadn't forgotten every thing over the summer. She spent the night before the big contest with Serena brushing up on some charms, potions, curses, and general spells. If you had walked in on them practicing, you probably would have said that they looked like giggly, normal fifteen year old girls. By day this was certainly true, but at night...  
  
J.D. wanted to tell Serena about her nightmares, but she was afraid that Serena would mistake them for real visions. J.D. knew just by the feel of them that they were dreams from her own subconscious, but that didn't stop them from being terrifying. Over and over she kept seeing herself in a stone circular room. It was illuminated by torchlight and sitting in the corner, sobbing, was the boy from her vision. She walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her and his face changed.   
  
"You came for me," he said, "but you must go or he'll kill you!"  
  
Just as she was about to ask who was going to kill her, the door was flung open. Instead of a man, there was a dragon standing in the doorway, and next to it was her sister. J.D. screamed for Crystal to run quickly, but Crystal just smiled her infuriating smile and whispered to the dragon. J.D. looked around for anything to attack the dragon with, but the room was bare. She cursed her dream-self for not having a wand. Her dream self then did the most extraordinary thing, she said one word, it sounded like _imaginari_, and shot a strong, unwavering jet of white light at the dragon. Then she woke up.  
  
But now was not the time to be thinking about such things, she told herself. She had to concentrate on passing the test for Hogwarts. 'That is what matters, not some random firings of my repressed psyche,' she thought, as she executed a perfect summoning charm, 'Passing the test is all that matters, because I have to go to Hogwarts.'  
  
For the first time since the contest had been announced J.D. asked herself why all of the sudden it was so important for her to get to Hogwarts. After all, Tolblox was a good school, she had learned a lot, and she had great friends. In the past week she had been almost neurotic about needing to go.   
  
'Why?' she thought, 'Why is it so important that I go to Hogwarts?'  
  
_Because you want to find him and make sure that he's alright_  
  
The thought came clear into her mind, as suddenly as a bolt of lighting.  
  



	3. Potions, Visions, and Spells

A/N: OKay my third chapter, for those of you who are wondering where the heck Harry is, don't worry. This part of the book is sort of, exposition. Just to get you introduced to my characters. Keep reviewing , I really appreciate it  
  
Chapter 3Potions, Visions, and Spells  
  
J.D. woke the morning of the big contest wondering why her skin had gone blue, until she realized that there was a beautiful stained glass sun catcher hanging by her bed. Briefly stopping to wonder when Cynthia had time to make it, she pulled on her sea blue robes and ran downstairs for breakfast. That morning it was waffles which were J.D.'s favorite. She sat down between Serena and Cynthia, and gave the latter a hug, thanking her for the sun catcher.  
  
"It was nothing really," said Cynthia modestly, "Just think of it as a good luck present."  
  
"Well I really appreciate it, Cyn. Let's just hope it works."  
  
The chatter in the Hall died down when Professor Upenowse stood up to make an announcement.  
  
"My dear students, the time has come for the contest. I now request that all students interested in competing will please stand up and go to the Transfiguration classroom. The rest of you may continue with your breakfast."  
  
J.D. was a little surprised to see that she, Serena, Cynthia and two others were the only girls to enter the contest from the Delphinus house. There were about the same amount from the other houses too. Walking towards the classroom, J.D. realized why there were so few participants: they weren't willing to risk the possibility of disappointment. They were probably also a bit scared, Tolblox was their safe place.  
  
The girls, there were seventeen in all, hurried into the class room. They were very eager to begin. J.D. noticed that Gabriele was waiting expectantly for instructions. 'I hope that she doesn't make it.' J.D. thought.  
  
Professor Babbington, the Potions teacher, was administering the tests. She walked to the front of the class and addressed the students in her calm, commanding voice.  
  
"Welcome young ladies, I hope that you all have adequately prepared for today's test. We will begin with the potions test, move on to charms, then transfiguration, then Defense Against the Dark Arts, and we will finish with divination. Are there any questions before we begin?"  
  
No one seemed to want to say anything.  
  
"Alright then. We will begin with potions. I want each student to prepare a Diaphanous Draught. If completed successfully you should become invisible for five minutes. All of the ingredients are up in the front of the room, but part of the test is to see if you know how much of each ingredient is needed. You may begin."  
  
'That's it?' J.D. thought, 'An invisibility potion?' She and Serena had made them before, mostly to go sneaking around the school. The potion wasn't as good as an invisibility cloak, though. It had a time limit and the ingredients were usually hard to come by. An interesting choice for the test.  
  
She hurried up to the front of the room to gather her supplies and brought them back to her cauldron. She started to grind beetle eyes up into powder and dumped them in. Then she stopped and started to worry.  
  
'Was it one Duvel spleen or two? Oh, no I can't remember!' she thought, panicking, 'I had better put in one and a half. It'll cost me points, but there shouldn't be any major changes in the results.'  
  
She kept working feverishly until the final result was boiling in her cauldron. It was the right color, which she took to be a good thing considering one of the girls from Amazona's potion was fuchsia instead of the silvery-clear color an invisibility potion was supposed to be.  
  
Then came the time to test it. Professor Babbington came around and had each girl take a sip of the potion. Some of the girls disappeared, but only for one minute, others had only a few body parts missing, and the only girl who had done it perfectly so far was... Crystal? 'Well potions is her best subject,' thought J.D. Then the professor came to test hers. She took a deep breath and swallowed some of her potion. So far so good, her color was fading into nothingness, and J.D. thought that she had done perfectly, spleen or no spleen, until she looked at her feet. How embarrassing, her shoes were still completely visible. However since the rest of her stayed invisible for the full five minutes she scored pretty high. Cynthia did well on the test as well, but Serena went to pieces. She never liked Potions and was much better at Transfiguration, which she enjoyed, and Divination, where she could make things up.   
  
Their next test was charms, which J.D. was confident she could ace. She received a perfect score for her summoning charm and her hovering charm (She summoned a large library book from two classrooms away and then hovered it in front of her so that she could read it). Cynthia did a good summoning charm but she dropped the fish tank she was hovering, which got everything wet. Gabriele was a bit nervous and she hovered the wrong thing, but she did it well. The other girls from Panthera and Amazona did fairly well and Serena got full marks.  
  
For the Transfiguration test they had to change a tea pot and tea cups into a chicken and baby chicks. For awhile J.D. was afraid that she was going to get ducks or something worse, but at the end she had a healthy family of chickens. Serena got a perfect score and extra credit because she had somehow charmed the chickens so that they could now sing rock and roll songs. Crystal got chickens from her tea set but they were a light blue color at the end. Somehow she didn't seem bothered by it. Gabriele was not doing very well; her chickens ended up with no feet.  
  
In Defense Against the Dark Arts, the test was two parts. The girls had to battle a boggart and either withstand or counter certain curses. J.D. went first in fighting the boggart. Trying to remember what Professor Ledezma said about boggarts, she entered the wardrobe. She turned and was face to face with... herself. She was confused until she realized what the boggart was doing. It was yelling and trying to tell someone (her?) that terrible things were going to happen. It was then she realized what the boggart was; it was her greatest fear that if she told people things she saw in the future they wouldn't believe her. Forcing herself to focus she faced the boggart and cried "Riddikulus!" watching the boggart disappear in a cloud of smoke. She left the wardrobe shaking and walked over to have curses thrown at her.  
  
They had been warned in advance that the Imperious Curse was going to be placed on them to see how effectively they could fight it off. J.D. was a bit nervous, but she was determined to do what it took to get to Hogwarts.   
  
"Okay, Miss Miller," said Professor Ledezma the DADA professor, "get ready. Imperio!"  
  
Instantly, J.D. felt a blissful sensation, as if her soul had left her body behind. She felt as if nothing could hurt her now.   
  
'Okay,' she thought, 'This is it, I just have to con, concentrate and not...do...it.' Just as she thought the words she realized it was going to be harder than that. Then she heard the voice.  
  
_Cartwheel across the room and grab your sister's nose._  
  
She was about to oblige when something stopped her.  
  
Why? she wondered.   
  
_Cartwheel across the room._  
  
I don't even know how to cartwheel!  
  
_Cartwheel, now!_  
  
Why? That's stupid. I, I won't.  
  
_Your only causing yourself pain by resisting._  
  
"I Won't Cartwheel!"  
  
Instantly the floating feeling left her body and she was sitting on the floor of the classroom, breathing heavily. She heard a gasp from someone else in the room, probably Serena.   
  
"It's okay, I'm alright," her voice sounded a little bit distant.  
  
"Congratulations Miss Miller. You did wonderfully," That was Professor Ledezma congratulating her, she reminded herself.  
  
She requested to go outside for a moment and sat down in the corridor. About half an hour later, Serena came out looking for her.  
  
"They're about to start the last test. Are you ready to-" She looked down at J.D. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah I am. Well, let's finish what we started."  
  
They walked back inside and when they took to their seats they saw that a crystal ball had been placed at each desk.  
  
"The crystal ball is important part of Divination study, especially at Hogwarts. I want you to gaze into the Orb and tell us what you See," said the familiar misty voice of the hated Professor Cole.  
  
J.D. took a quick glance around and noticed that Crystal was staring at her funny. She also looked a bit sick.  
  
Trying to relax, J.D. looked straight into the crystal ball. It swirled and then it cleared and she could see it perfectly, it was that boy again. She leaned in closer and was trying to listen to the conversation he was having. She was about to hear something when it happened again. She flew out of her chair and hit the floor with a sickening Slam!   
  
When she came to, all of the professors were standing over her. Professor Cole in particular was looking extremely excited.   
  
"Miss Miller, this is wonderful! What an excellent example for the test. What did you See?"  
  
"A boy, about my age," she said, the words were just pouring out of her mouth as if she had no control over what she was saying, "he was locked in a dark room. Then a man came in, he was robed and his face was covered. He took out a wand and the boy took out his wand and they were about to duel, when the boy was struck from behind and someone was shooting jets of purple light at the man. Just as that person was about to come into view, I woke up."  
  
"Miss Miller this is very important: What did the boy look like?" asked Professor Upenowse.  
  
"The boy? Umm, he had black messy hair, glasses, green eyes, and like I said he was my age."  
  
"Have you ever seen that boy before in real life?"  
  
"In real life?" J.D. thought, "No professor."  
  
"Thank you Miss Miller, perhaps you'd better lie down."  
  
J.D. was too tired from her vision to do anything but lie down, but if she had overheard the teachers conversation, she would have found it very interesting.  
  
"Do you think it was a True vision, Stefanie?"  
  
"I think so, Emelina. But what I'm wondering is why she had a vision about the Potter boy. Something tells me that this isn't the first time either. I think that we had better send Miss Miller to Hogwarts. She could end up very useful there."  
  
"I agree. Besides," Professor Babbington smiled, "she passed the test anyway."  
  
* * *  
  
  
"I'm sorry you guys aren't coming to Hogwarts with me." said J.D. the next morning at breakfast.  
  
"That's okay J, We like it here at Tolblox. We're just going to miss you." Serena told her.  
  
"Yeah. It won't be the same." Cynthia sounded as if she was close to tears.  
  
"Oh guys, I promise we'll still see each other and we'll visit. I won't forget you." J.D. said.  
  
"I suspect you'll have other things on your mind. Imagine a school with boys." said Serena dreamily.  
  
"That's not the only reason I want to go, but it is a plus. You know, I think that contest really took the snottiness out of Soroka. I was so thrilled when she didn't make it."   
  
"Who'd have thought that both you and Crystal would make it." Cynthia said.  
  
"I know. I just hope that she'll leave me alone there. I can't believe I'm leaving tomorrow." J.D. said excitedly.  
  
"We can't either. Don't forget, we'll be there before you leave because we have things we want to give you." reminded Serena.  
  
"I won't forget."  
  
* * *   
  
As J.D. was getting ready to touch the Portkey, which would take her and the other three girls to Hogwarts, she looked around anxiously for her friends. They said that they wanted to say goodbye and give her something. She didn't care about the gift. She just wanted to see her best friends before she left.  
  
"J.D., wait!"  
  
Serena and Cynthia came running down the stairs, each clutching a package wrapped in brown paper.  
  
"Here," said Serena, thrusting her package into J.D.'s arms, "but don't open them until you get to Hogwarts. Oh, I'm going to miss you!"  
  
"Me too," said Cynthia, who also gave J.D. a gift, "Send us an owl once in awhile, okay? And maybe set us up with some guys from Hogwarts."  
  
"Okay you guys. And I promise to come visit. I have to visit my parents anyway."  
  
The girls hugged one last time. J.D. walked over to the Portkey and waved. Serena and Cynthia waved back and in a flash J.D., Crystal, and the other two girls were gone.  
  
"She's going to be fine, I'm sure. J.D. can handle herself anywhere. We had better get to Charms, Cyn."  
  
With one last glance behind them the two girls walked away.  
  



	4. New Faces, Old Friends

A/N: Well here it is, the next chapter in my story. I hope you enjoy it.  
  
Part 2:HOGWARTS  
  
  
Chapter 4:New Faces, Old Friends  
  
  
  
Harry Potter was sitting with his friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, talking, laughing, and eating. Ron had just made a somewhat rude comment about the steak and kidney pie, when Professor Dumbledore stood up to make an announcement.  
  
"I'm sure all of you recall the announcement I made a week ago before the Starting feast."  
  
Harry was trying to remember what announcement Dumbledore was talking about. Something about transfer students, he thought.  
  
"We at Hogwarts are proud to be welcoming four transfer students from Tolblox School of Witchcraft. They should be here shortly and I ask all of you to be patient while we Sort them." he paused a moment, "I am also asking you to remember what I said at last years leaving feast. Now more than ever it is important to be united. Please welcome them as friends."  
  
Professor McGonagall led four girls into the entry hall. Harry noticed that two were older, sixth or seventh year, one was about his age; she was very pretty, and the fourth girl was younger. She had an almost angry expression on her face.  
  
"When I call your name please come sit on this stool and put the hat on. It will announce the name of your house and then please sit at that table."  
  
"Abernathy, Nicole."  
  
She walked over to the Sorting Hat and put it on. A moment later it yelled:  
  
"RAVENCLAW!"  
  
"Jensen, Bettina."  
  
"HUFFLEPUFF!"  
  
"Miller, Crystal."  
  
The girl with the angry expression walked to the stool with the air of someone being sentenced to death.  
  
"SLYTHERIN!"  
  
When she got up, Harry could see that she was smiling a little bit. Did she know anything about Slytherin?   
  
"Miller, Jasmine."  
  
Now it was the pretty girl's turn. Harry waited and after a minute:  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
"That's weird," Hermione said over the applause as Jasmine Miller walked over to the Gryffindor table.  
  
"What's weird?" Ron asked.  
  
"Well there were four of them and they each got put in a different house. It's just strange. Oh, look here she comes."  
  
As Jasmine came by, Hermione stood up.  
  
"Would you like to sit down with us?" she asked.  
  
"Oh, thank you." replied Jasmine.  
  
"No problem," Hermione said as she sat down, "My name is Hermione Granger. It's Jasmine, right?"  
  
"Actually call me J.D.," for of course it was her, "My full name is Jasmine Delilah Miller, but I hate Jasmine and I hate Delilah, so everyone calls me J.D. What are your names?" she asked without really looking at them.  
  
"Ron Weasley."  
  
"Harry Potter."  
  
Upon hearing his name, J.D. looked up at him and gave a little gasp.  
  
"Harry Potter," she said, "You're the boy from my vision."  
  
Harry had absolutely no idea how to respond to that. Luckily he didn't have to because J.D. continued.  
  
"Look, I'm not really hungry. It is very important for me to talk to you Harry. Will you come with me?"  
  
Harry nodded. He wasn't sure why, but instinctively he trusted this girl. He rose from the table and Ron and Hermione followed. Looking at them, J.D. nodded, as if to give her assent for them come along. Harry led the way up to Gryffindor Tower and told J.D. the password (_Honky-Tonk_). They went in side and sat down in the cushion-y chairs in front of the fire place.  
  
* * *  
  
J.D. wasn't really sure where to begin. She was still finding it hard to believe that she had been having visions about the Harry Potter. Somehow, she really wasn't sure how, she knew that Harry needed to know about the visions and she was about to tell a complete stranger more than she had told her best friend.  
  
"Okay Harry, here goes. All I ask is that you let me tell my story straight through, no interruptions. This may sound strange. You see, I am a True Seer." She paused, correctly interpreting the skeptical looks on their faces, "I realize you may find that hard to believe, and I'll prove it to you later. For now just trust me. My sister, Crystal, and I are both Seers. Now, it was three weeks before summer vacation was supposed to end and I was sitting at home in my room when I was struck with a vision. That vision was one of the most powerful that I have ever felt. I saw a lot of green light and heard this high pitched laugh that made me shiver. Then I saw you, Harry, only you were a very small boy. Then as if I was watching the dream in fast forward, you began to grow. The man with the laugh came and shot a bolt of light at you and you collapsed. Then the weirdest part happened: you pulled what looked like a chunk of rock out of your robes and just held it. A light began to swirl inside and it grew brighter and brighter until everything was drenched in that light."  
  
"I don't understand." Harry interrupted, unable to contain himself any longer.  
  
"Wait," J.D. said, "I haven't finished. That was only the first time. I had another vision about you while I was taking the exam for Hogwarts. Luckily it was during the Divination portion so I got full points. Anyway, this time you were locked in a dark room and a robed man came in. Just as you were about to duel, you were struck from behind and someone was shooting purple jets of light at the man." She stopped and looked at Harry. "Okay, I'm finished now, you can talk."  
  
Harry really had no idea what to say to all of this. "Why were you having visions about me?" he asked.  
  
"I don't know. But don't start worrying about it. I don't want you to be constantly looking over your shoulder, I just thought that it was something you should know."  
  
"Yeah I guess I should. Look, maybe you should tell Professor Dumbledore about this." Harry suggested.  
  
"You mean the headmaster? Okay, I will. But not right now. Now I need you to help me find my way around this castle."  
  
"No problem," said Ron, "We know what it's like. You can get very lost around here. Hey, I know! Let's take her to meet Hagrid, Harry."  
  
"Okay, that sounds good. Do you have your schedule, J.D.?"   
  
"Yeah it's here somewhere." J.D. began taking things out of her pockets, "Ah hah! Here it is." She said as she handed it to Hermione.  
  
"Okay you have all of the regular classes with the rest of us Gryffindors, and it looks like you have Divination with Harry and Ron, I have Arithmancy that period and-"  
  
"Wait," J.D. interrupted, "Did you say that I have Divination? Oh that's terrible!"  
  
"Why? With your um, Gift, you'd think Divination would be a snap." Ron asked.  
  
"That's just the problem. I try not to be noticed in that class, but the professors love me for being able to see the future. I can't stand Divination teachers because they are so phony! I mean, I really can see the future and most of them can't."  
  
"Don't worry about it now. If you really hate it you can probably switch out. Come on, let's go visit Hagrid." Harry said.   
  
* * *  
  
  
As they walked out of the castle to Hagrid's, Hermione asked J.D. about her family.   
  
"Well, it's me, my sister, and my dad. My dad's a wizard and my mom was-" J.D. hesitated.  
  
"What? She wasn't a giant or a veela or something?" Hermione asked.  
  
"No, nothing like that. It's just, well she was a Ravinia." J.D. said.  
  
The boys looked confused, but Hermione was intrigued.  
  
"A Ravinia? Really? I didn't know that there were any left." Hermione exclaimed.  
  
"She was one of the last ones. Crystal and I are supposed to have the ability, but my dad think that we might be female carriers, which is rare." J.D. replied.  
  
"Uh, girls," Ron interjected, "Would you mind explaining? What so special about being a Ravinia and, uh, what is it?  
  
"Oh, Ron, really! A Ravina is, well maybe you'd better explain it J.D." Hermione said.  
  
"Well Ron, a Ravina is a person. They are always magic people. The thing that makes us different it that the men are carriers, they don't have the extra power but they can pass it on to any female children. With women, we have a sort of inner magic. You know, magic without wands." J.D. explained.   
  
"Don't all witches and wizards have that? I mean, we can all do a little bit of that only usually by accident." Harry asked.  
  
"All witches and wizards have a bit, but it requires you to get really worked up. With Ravinias we can do the magic almost subconsciously. Well, not exactly we. With my mother having, er, passed on, I don't know of any others. If either my children or my sister's children end up without the power then I guess my mother was the last. Probably there isn't anyone here who knows how."   
  
"How does it feel to have your little sister in Slytherin while you're in Gryffindor?" Hermione asked.  
  
"It's fine. Why? In fact it's better that she's not in my house, she can't annoy me as much."  
  
"Oh, that's right you wouldn't know. You see Slytherin and Gryffindor are total opposites and always compete. We don't like each other very much. It's strange that you would be in one and your sister in the other." Ron replied.  
  
"Really? Huh, I guess I just didn't think about it. Don't a lot of siblings get put in different houses?"  
  
"It depends," said Harry, "but siblings usually don't get put in opposite houses like that, I don't think."  
  
"I don't think it has happened in a hundred years." Hermione said in her know-it-all voice, "I will have to check that out."  
  
"Hermione, if you don't mind me asking, what's the badge for?"   
  
"This?" Hermione pointed to the shiny metal badge pinned on her chest, "This is my prefect badge. I am a prefect because of my good marks and good behavior, and I tell you it hasn't been easy. Oh, here we are."  
  
J.D. was a bit nervous. She always got a little nervous meeting new adults. With children, they were usually so open and straightforward that J.D. could tell instantly whether or not they could be friends. She was beginning to wonder who Hagrid was, when the door of his hut opened.  
  
"There yeh are! I was wonderin' when yeh'd come to see me. An who's this?" Hagrid asked pointing at J.D.   
  
"This is J.D. , Hagrid. She's one of the transfer student's from America." Harry said.  
  
"Pleased the meet you. I guess you'll be in my class then, Care of Magical Creatures?" Hagrid asked.  
  
J.D. was amazed at the size of Hagrid, but he seemed nice enough. "Uh yeah, I guess I will."  
  
"I think yeh'll really enjoy it. I'm getting some interestin' creatures for this year." Seeing the looks on Harry, Ron, and Hermione's faces he added, "Don't worry, I learned meh lesson. Some people just don't like Blast-Ended Skrewts."   
  
"Yeah I guess so. We'd better get back to the castle. We still have to show J.D. the rest of it. We'll see you later Hagrid." Harry said.  
  
They walked back up to the castle. J.D. was very quiet, but the others put it down to nervousness. She was really more homesick than she was nervous. J.D. had no idea that she would miss Tolblox so much, especially now that she was in a school with boys, but she really missed Serena and Cynthia.  
  
'Just give it some time,' she told herself, 'you only arrived here this afternoon. It'll take some time to find your place.'  
  
She allowed herself to relax and Harry, Ron and Hermione showed her around the school. It really was an interesting place with a lot of stories. Ron was telling her about the time the three of them made a Polyjuice Potion in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and she just had to laugh. J.D. found the paintings on the walls of the corridors very interesting and she liked to watch the people move from one to another. When it was time for dinner Harry led the way to the Gryffindor table. J.D. sat down with everyone else, but she confined herself to listening and said very little. She occasionally snuck glances at her sister, who was sitting next to a boy with silvery blond hair. She seemed to be listening to him talk and laughed along with everyone else. J.D. wasn't sure, but sometimes she thought she saw the smallest bit of unhappiness in Crystal's eyes.After dinner Hermione showed J.D. to her room and showed her which bed was hers.   
  
"You'll have to excuse me, but I still have a bit of work to do, so I'm going down to the common room. If you need something just come down and get me." Hermione said.  
  
J.D. thanked her and Hermione left. Taking advantage of this opportunity, J.D. took out the gifts her friend had given her before she left. She opened Serena's first; it was a photo album.  
  
"Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed softly.  
  
Inside were tons of pictures of her and her friends. There were some of her playing Quidditch, some of them playing wizard chess together, and even one of them on their very first day of school. Because these were magic photographs, all of the pictures were moving. It made J.D. feel like she was actually back at Tolblox and she started to cry. Wiping tears from her face she started to open Cynthia's gift. It looked like a backpack. There was a note that went along with it, and it read:  
  
_Dear J.D.,  
  
I was shopping on Melrose and I saw this cute bag. I know that right now you're probably wondering what's so special about it (do I know you or what?). It is bewitched so that any thing will fit inside and no matter how heavy the object is, once on your back it will feel light as a feather. I hope you enjoy it and Serena and I hope to hear from you soon. Tolblox isn't the same without you.  
  
-Cynthia_  
  
J.D. was amazed that her friends would go to all of this trouble, and she was touched. She put the album by her bed and put the bag away in her closet. J.D. felt a little better and decided to take it one day at a time. She wanted to get a fresh start tomorrow, so she decided to go to sleep early. As she slowly fell asleep in the strange, unfamiliar bed, J.D. thought about what her life at Hogwarts would be like. She instantly decided that she would be no one but herself and see how people reacted to that.   
  
* * *  
  
Harry and Ron were playing a game of Exploding Snap in the common room, when Hermione came down from the dormitories and sat down next to them.  
  
"Okay, what do you think about J.D.?" She asked them.  
  
"She seems nice, a little quiet, but that is probably just 'cause she's in a new place." said Ron.  
  
"She does seem nice. There's something though, I don't know what, but she seems different." Harry said.  
  
"I think she just needs some friends. She probably misses her friends at her old school. I want to ask her about that too, American schools are probably very different from ours." Hermione said.  
  
"Hermione, don't start interrogating her! That would probably make her even more uncomfortable." Ron exclaimed as he placed a card on top of the house he and Harry were making.  
  
"Just give her some time, Herm. Then you can ask all of the questions you want. I wonder if she plays Quidditch. You know that Angelina still hasn't picked a new keeper. I don't know what she's waiting for, I mean, she is the captain this year it's her responsibility." Harry said.  
  
When the boys began to discuss Quidditch, Hermione just sighed and buried her nose in a book. She was used to it by now, but she had hoped that having a new girl around would make life more interesting. She didn't get along with the other girls in her year, partly, she supposed, because she had spent the past four years exclusively with Harry and Ron. Not that she minded, it was just that sometimes she wished she had another girl her age to talk to. Maybe J.D. would be that girl, after all it was only her first day. She shouldn't be so quick to judge. With that last thought, Hermione walked upstairs to the dorm and got into bed. She fell asleep quickly and dreamt of things that she hoped would happen.  
  



	5. Meeting Malfoy

A/N: My fifth chapter is up! It's twice as long as the others but it's really good. enjoy!  
  
Chapter 5:Meeting Malfoy  
  
  
The first thing that J.D. heard in the morning was Hermione's voice.  
  
"Rise and shine, sleepy head!" Hermione said sounding way too energetic for that hour of the morning.  
  
"What? Oh, Hermione it's way too early let me sleep!" J.D. complained.  
  
"If you don't get up, you're going to miss breakfast." Seeing that this had no effect, Hermione tried a different approach, "Come on J.D., we have classes today. It's Care of Magical Creatures, Transfiguration, and Divi–" Hermione stopped. Knowing how J.D. felt about Divination, that probably was not going to get her out of bed. "Of course, I could just pour water on your face and pull you out of bed and then I would have to-"  
  
"Alright, alright, I'm up. Sheesh! You English sure get up at the crack of dawn." J.D. said, stifling a yawn.  
  
"And you Americans sleep forever, besides it isn't that early." Hermione waited as J.D. pulled on her new black Hogwarts robe.  
  
"What's for breakfast?" J.D. asked as they walked down to the Great Hall.  
  
"Oatmeal." Seeing the look on J.D.'s face she added, "Don't worry there's other stuff too."  
  
When they finally got there, J.D. took the time to look around. She was very intrigued by the ceiling which, when she asked, Hermione told her was bewitched to look like the sky outside.  
  
"And you can call me Herm, lot's of people do," she said.  
  
"Nah, I don't like the sound of that. I'll call you Mya. You know, her-mya-nee." she said pronouncing it slowly.  
  
"Well no one's called me that before, but I like it. Are you ready for classes? We have Care of Magical Creatures first. Oh, and we have it with the Slytherins, so be careful."  
  
Of course, any mention of the Slytherins made J.D. think about Crystal. She was sitting next to that blond boy again and her eyes never left his face. J.D. didn't like that at all.  
  
"Whose that blond boy over at the Slytherin table? The one next to my sister?" she asked Hermione.  
  
"Oh, that's Draco Malfoy. You'll meet him in Care of Magical Creatures, but you'll probably wish you hadn't. He's the worst of all Slytherins. He's the Slytherin seeker, so he plays opposite Harry in Quidditch and no one from Gryffindor can stand him. He's really very nasty."  
  
J.D. was dazed. This was the boy her sister was mixed up with? They may be in the same house, but J.D. was sure she did not want her sister associating with him. She decided to try and get her sister alone and talk some sense into her.   
  
"So J.D., how do you like Hogwarts so far?" A boy who introduced himself as Neville Longbottom asked her.  
  
"What? Oh, it's fine, I guess." J.D. wasn't really paying attention to the others.  
  
"Do you play Quidditch, J.D.?" One of Ron's twin brothers asked her, she wasn't sure which one.  
  
"Quidditch? Yeah I was Keeper at my old school." J.D. replied. 'Now how do I get Crystal alone,' she wondered.  
  
"That's great!" Harry exclaimed, "You can try out for Keeper on the Gryffindor team."  
  
"Huh, what? Oh, Quidditch, here? No that's okay, I'd rather not."  
  
While J.D. was busy staring at the Slytherin table, Seamus Finnigan whispered to Harry and Ron.  
  
"That new girl is weird. She's not even listening to us." said Seamus.  
  
"She is a bit different. Just give her time, it's a new place for her," Harry whispered back.  
  
"You have to admit Harry, she is not normal. You practically offered her a spot on our winning Quidditch team and she said no!" Dean Thomas remarked, "She has to be out of her mind."  
  
"So she doesn't want to play, what's the big deal?" Harry asked.  
  
"Most of the kids in this school would sell their soul for that opportunity!" exclaimed Seamus.  
  
"You guys are making a big deal out of nothing. We'd better hurry or we'll be late for Care of Magical Creatures."  
  
The Great Hall started to clear out and the students went to their classes. On her way out, J.D. made her way over to her sister.  
  
"Crystal can I talk to you for a minute?" J.D. asked.  
  
"J.D.? Sure, but make it quick, I've got Transfiguration." Crystal replied.  
  
J.D. pulled her sister off to one side.  
  
"Look Crystal, I'm not sure it's such a good idea for you to be hanging out with that Malfoy boy."  
  
"You mean Draco? Why? There's nothing wrong with him and he tells the funniest stories."  
  
"Crystal! He's bad news okay? Just stay away from him."  
  
Crystal suddenly turned very cold.  
  
"J.D. you can not tell me who I can and can't hang out with. That is not your job. Just stay out of my life and I'll stay out of yours!"  
  
With that Crystal ran off down the corridor, leaving J.D. standing all by herself. She slowly started walking until she realized that she had no idea where to go. What had Hermione said, Care of Magical Creatures was first, but where was it held? She kept wandering until she had reached a door that said, 'Staff Room'.   
  
'Oh, thank goodness. Maybe some one in here can help me.' she thought.  
  
Just as she was about to knock on the door, it opened and a man with dark greasy hair and a sallow complexion came out. (A/N: Come on, you knew that was going to happen, didn't you?) He stopped and stared at J.D. as if she was some kind of alien who had just beamed down from the mothership.  
  
"Who are you and what do you want?" he asked nastily.  
  
"My name is J.D. Miller, sir, and I was looking for my Care of Magical Creatures class. I'm new here you see and I do not know where it is held." she said all of this calmly and straightforward. J.D. could tell that this man was trying to intimidate her and she was not about to let that happen.  
  
"J.D. Miller? I'm afraid that I am not familiar with that name. It wouldn't be Jasmine Miller, would it?"  
  
"My given name is Jasmine, sir, but I go by J.D. However, I expect you are required to call me Miss Miller, which is also acceptable. I apologize in advance, but I refuse to respond to Jasmine. Now, could you please tell me how to get to my class, I am already late."  
  
J.D. could tell that the man was both a little impressed and a lot annoyed by her speech. Some what at a loss for words he then said:  
  
"Go out of the castle and across the grounds. The class is held at Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest," he regained some of his composure and said, "I assume I need not remind you, Miss Miller, that the Forbidden Forest is exactly as it sounds- forbidden."   
  
"No sir you need not remind me. Thank you very much," J.D. walked away leaving the teacher somewhat stunned.  
  
  
* * *   
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione were starting to get worried. It was already a quarter of the way into Care of Magical Creatures and J.D. still hadn't showed up. They were just about to ask Hagrid if they could go look for her, when they saw her come running towards them.  
  
"Ah, J.D. , there yeh are!" Hagrid greeted her cheerfully.  
  
"I'm, sorry, Hagrid," she said gasping for breath, "I got lost."  
  
Some of the Slytherins laughed. Ignoring them, J.D. walked over to Harry, Ron, and Hermione and took her place in front of a large box.   
  
"Alright, J.D. we've been workin' with Kneazles. Now Kneazles are cat-like creatures an they are intelligent, independent, and occasionally aggressive."  
  
"No wonder Hagrid likes them," Ron whispered to Harry. He nodded and the both turned to look at Malfoy, who as usual wasn't listening. Harry caught Hagrid's eye and sort of turned his head in Malfoy's direction. Hagrid got the idea.  
  
"Malfoy! Are yeh listening? Last time this happened yeh were attacked by a Hippogriff and even though Kneazles aren't like Hippogriffs, I'm not takin' chances. If yeh aren't goin' to listen then you can't participate. That means, Malfoy, that yer grade is goin' to drop."  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione all grinned. It was still enjoyable to see Hagrid put Malfoy in his place. Malfoy was actually looking flabbergasted that he had been spoken to in that way.  
  
"Where was I? Oh yeah, Kneazles can make great pets, if they take a likin' to yeh. They make excellen' guides if yer lost an' they can act as alarms, because Kneazles can detect suspicious behavior in people." With that sentence most of the Gryffindors turned to look at Malfoy, "Anyway, as yeh can see Kneazles have a strange lion-like tail which, when owned, the owner's got to shave off because they're unusual lookin'. Itll tell you all about Kneazles in your Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Now, I want everybody to pair off an study the Kneazles, an there'll be a prize for the pair who can list the most characteristics."   
  
Harry and Ron teamed up over one Kneazle and J.D. and Hermione teamed up over another. They were just starting to describe the creatures, which were actually sort of cute, when Malfoy came over.  
  
"What was the big idea, Potter? Are you trying to get me in trouble? You should know by now that that isn't a good idea. I'll get you back, and it'll be in a class where you aren't the pet." Malfoy said.  
  
Knowing that Malfoy was referring to Potions, Harry could only swallow. A couple of hours in a dungeon with Snape was torture enough, but add to that a roomful of Slytherins and it was a nightmare.  
  
Malfoy turned his attention to J.D., "Your name is Miller, right?"  
  
"Yes." she replied.  
  
"I've heard a lot about you from your sister. Why would you want to hang around with this bunch of losers? I've heard things about you, Miller. I could be your friend. You may be in Gryffindor, but you don't have to hang around with them. I could show you power."  
  
There was a moments silence. Then J.D. spoke again in a voice like ice.  
  
"I am only going to say this once Malfoy, so clean the junk out of your oversized ears and listen good. I will never be your friend. I will never help you. I want you to stay away from my sister, because like you said, just because you are in the same house doesn't mean you have to hang out together. I don't like you and I would prefer to spend the rest of my life alone then spend any of it with you."  
  
Malfoy looked at her with pure hatred. "You're going to regret that. You and Potter made the wrong choices. You can not tell me to stay away from your sister. I will do as I please."  
  
J.D. lost her temper. She didn't always have a good control over it any way, but the thought of her little sister hanging around a creep like that made her blood boil. She punched Malfoy with all of her strength right in the nose. He was totally unprepared for such an attack and fell hard onto the ground.  
  
J.D. was lucky that the only people who saw her performance were Harry, Ron, Hermione and Malfoy himself. She might have been in real trouble if anyone else had seen. As it was, Malfoy yelling at the top of his lungs while his nose was bleeding heavily, was enough to attract a crowd. Hagrid came running over.  
  
"Oh, not again. What happened?" Hagrid asked.  
  
"Don't worry Hagrid, he wasn't attacked by the Kneazles. He just, uh, fell and hit his nose really hard." Ron quickly said.  
  
"Oh, well we'd better get him up to the hospital wing, just to make sure he doesn't have a broken nose. Crabbe, Goyle, take Malfoy up to Madame Pomfrey."  
  
"I'll make sure you're fired for this! I'll get that girl too--"   
  
"Quit whinin'. It's only a bloody nose. Get him out of here." Crabbe and Goyle lifted Malfoy up and they made their way back to the castle.  
  
"Alright, the rest of yeh, come on back to work, Malfoy'll be fine."  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were staring, astonished at J.D. She smiled at them and went back to making observations. Knowing that they couldn't talk about it there without getting J.D. in trouble, they worked in silence for the rest of the period. Even Hermione didn't say anything; she had enjoyed seeing Malfoy with a bloody nose as much as anybody else.   
  
* * *  
  
The Gryffindors made their way to Transfiguration and along the way they discussed what happened to Malfoy.  
  
"It was awesome!" Ron said, "He said something nasty to her and she just hit him straight in the face!"  
  
"You mean he didn't fall?" Lavender Brown asked.  
  
"No, J.D. punched him. It was a beautiful sight." Ron said happily.  
  
"Hermione, you're a Prefect, maybe you should report it," said Parvati Patil.  
  
"Are you nuts Parvati? This is Malfoy we're talking about. He completely deserved it." Harry replied.  
  
"Did you really punch Malfoy, J.D.?" Seamus asked when she joined the group a few minutes later.  
  
"Are Harry and Ron telling stories about me? Of course I didn't punch him." she answered.  
  
"But we were standing right there--" Ron started to say.  
  
"I said I did no such thing." J.D. said.  
  
Harry and Ron exchanged looks. J.D. had punched him, why was she denying it? If the rest of the Gryffindors knew, they wouldn't turn her in; in fact she'd probably be their hero. They reached the Transfiguration classroom just in time. They went inside and took their seats, with J.D. seated in the back. It was almost as if she was trying to hide away.  
  
"Hello class, I am very pleased to welcome one of our four transfer students, Miss Jasmine Miller. Now Miss Miller I assume that you are at the proper level, correct?" J.D. nodded and Professor McGonagall continued, "Good then I do not need to waste time reviewing. We are going to work on turning an animal into an inanimate object and then into another animal. For instance I will turn this hamster into a hat and then into a rabbit. Please watch closely."  
  
As Professor McGonagall began instructions, Harry leaned over in his seat and whispered to J.D.   
  
"What's wrong? Why did you lie to Seamus, Dean and everybody else?" he asked.  
  
"Harry, shh! Look it doesn't matter. Just forget that the whole incident ever happened." said J.D.   
  
"I will not forget it! This is important. Why did you lie?"  
  
"It is not important and I'm not going to say anything."  
  
"J.D. come on, just tell me!"  
  
"Potter!" Professor McGonagall's voice interrupted them, "Would you kindly stop your conversation! Or do I have to take points from Gryffindor?"  
  
"Uh, no Professor that's alright." Harry looked at J.D. but she was looking away.   
  
When class was over, all of the Gryffindors started walking towards the Great Hall. They were talking and laughing, all except J.D.   
  
"Are you feeling alright?" Hermione asked her.  
  
"What? Oh, yes I'm fine. I wonder what's for lunch. Something good I bet."  
  
They all took their seats at the Gryffindor table and waited for the food to magically appear.  
Conversation ensued. The table was filled with animated gossip. Most of the conversation was about the upcoming first Quidditch match of the season, Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff.  
  
"Glad Angelina finally found a Keeper, I was getting worried."  
  
"Yeah me too, but I've never even heard of the guy she chose."  
  
"He's a sixth year isn't he? I heard his name was--"  
  
"Steve Montalvo, yeah that's right. He's really smashing. He's a pretty nice guy too, only he keeps to himself a lot."  
  
As usual J.D. was only listening to the conversation, not joining it. When she heard the news about the new keeper, she felt a little sad.   
  
'Now it's to late to try out,' she told herself, 'but I know that I just could not do it. Being the Keeper would have messed everything up.'  
  
Turning back to the chatter, J.D. noticed that Neville was trying to engage her in conversation. She liked Neville who, although he was very forgetful and accident-prone, was also a really nice guy.  
  
"Do you like Hogwarts J.D.?" he asked.  
  
Even though it went against her plan, J.D. felt that she could not be rude to this boy.  
  
"Yeah, so far it's really great," J.D. replied.  
  
"That's only because you haven't had potions yet," Neville said this with a laugh, but J.D. could tell something was wrong.  
  
"Neville, are you okay? Anytime that someone mentions Potions you start sweating."  
  
"Well," Neville's voice dropped to a whisper, "It's just that Professor Snape teaches that class, and, well, he scares me."  
  
"Professor Snape, huh? Well don't worry about him. Anytime he scares you just think of something else you really enjoy. When do I get to meet this Professor Snape anyway?"  
  
"Tomorrow, that's when we have our first Potions lesson of the year. Oh, we'd better get going. We don't want to be late for Divination."  
  
"Of course not," J.D. muttered.  
  
* * *   
  
J.D. followed Harry and Ron up to the Divination classroom. Harry had already warned her about Professor Trelawney and she was definitely not looking forward to this class. She climbed up the ladder into the classroom and settled herself at one of the round tables. Looking around at the room that resembled an old, dusty, tea shop, J.D. thought she was going to be sick.  
  
"Hello students, how good it is to See all of you again," the hazy voice of Professor Trelawney spoke.  
  
"And yet," the voice continued, "We have a new face among us. I have seen you before in my visions of course, Miss Muller, but it is nice to meet you in the physical world."  
  
"My name is Miller, Professor. If you've seen me before shouldn't you know that?" J.D. replied.  
  
A few people in the class laughed. This was not the way J.D. meant for things to happen. Then she looked around and saw that the two girls in the front of the room, Lavender and Parvati, were looking scandalized. Which was it? Should she pretend to like this teacher or hate her? J.D. was confused. This class could ruin all of her plans; she had to get out of it.  
  
Continuing as if she had not heard J.D. speak, Professor Trelawney said, "I received a message from your teacher at Tolblox, she said you had a vision during the test. Please share it with the class."  
  
It wasn't really a request, it was more like an order. J.D. tried to stall for time.  
  
"Vision? What vision are you talking about Professor?"  
  
"Come now child, you know perfectly well what I am talking about. Please, share it."  
  
"That's okay Professor, I'd rather not."  
  
"Miss Miller, it would be such an excellent opportunity. Please share."  
  
"No Professor. I refuse." J.D. said with a cold forcefulness in her voice.   
  
For a moment it looked as though Professor Trelawney was going to fly into a rage, but she immediately calmed herself and continued on with the lesson.  
  
"Very well dear. Now for the beginning of this year I would like to work with prophecies."  
  
They passed the rest of the class in silence, stopping periodically to write something down as Professor Trelawney read the class some of the most famous prophecies. Her list included at least three which predicted Harry's death as a result of his encounters with Voldemort. Harry found Professor Trelawney's predicting his death very tiring, she did it every year and every class. When the period was over J.D. got up quickly and started moving towards the door.  
  
"J.D. wait!" Ron shouted.  
  
"I can't, we've got to get to class!" J.D. shouted back.  
  
Harry and Ron caught up to her.  
  
"No we don't, it's dinner now. Come with us I think we need to talk." Harry said as he led her up to Gryffindor tower.  
  
* * *  
  
Hermione joined them a few minutes later. As they all sat down in the comfortable chairs in front of the fireplace, J.D. had the weird sense of deja vu. She really did not want to have this conversation now, but they were determined. In a way it was kind of nice to know that they already cared about her, they hadn't known her for very long.  
  
"Okay, start talking." Harry said.  
  
"You guys are going to miss dinner and I bet we're having something good too maybe--"  
  
"That's okay, we're not hungry. Come on, J.D. talk to us," Hermione said.  
  
"What is it that's bothering you? I don't know if you've noticed, but you're kind of, um--" Ron hesitated.  
  
"Kind of what? Unpopular? I know that." J.D. replied.  
  
"You do? Why though? Why are you so unpopular around here?" Harry asked.  
  
"You guys wouldn't understand," Seeing the determined look on their faces she sighed and continued, "Look, all I'm going to say is that I'm unpopular because I am trying to be unpopular."  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked confused.  
  
"What do you mean you're trying to be unpopular? How?" Ron asked.  
  
"I suppose since you are my friends I can tell you, but I guarantee you won't understand. When you're unpopular, you don't have to worry about people following you all of the time, you don't have to worry about the safety of others, since nobody would hang around you. You are entitled to some privacy."  
  
"You are making yourself unpopular for privacy?" Ron asked in a skeptical tone.  
  
"Exactly. Look, Harry, you wouldn't get it. You're extremely popular; you probably don't realize that you have people around you day and night. Why are you popular? Because you're the famous Harry Potter and you're a nice guy to boot. Now me, I could be almost as popular as you are, if I wanted to. That's not a brag, it's a simple fact. However being popular does not fit in with my Purpose."  
  
"Your what?" Hermione asked.  
  
"My Purpose. Didn't you ever think that I was sent here with a Purpose? I'm the one who had visions about Harry. I know that something is going to happen here and I want to be ready for it when it does. If I was trying to be popular then I would be, I could have been Keeper if I had wanted to also. However if I was popular then people would want to be around me, talk with me, and know what I was doing. I can't have that happen. You three are the only ones who can know of what I do."  
  
"Let me get this straight. You are purposely being unpopular so that if you want to go sneaking around the school nobody will get in your way?" Harry asked.  
  
"Precisely."  
  
"And how do you expect to pull that off without getting caught?" Ron inquired.  
  
"Haven't you heard of an invisibility potion?"  
  
"Nope, never used it. I have my dad's invisibility cloak." Harry said.  
  
"Really?" J.D. eyes opened wide, "those are the best, but they're hard to come by. The potion works just as well, but it has a time limit and the ingredients are difficult to get a hold of. I might just have to buy me an invisibility cloak."  
  
* * *  
  
J.D. and Hermione went upstairs to their dorm, leaving the boys to play chess.   
  
"Now remember Mya, no matter what I do or what I say you can't do anything that will get me popularity. And do me a favor: tell me if I'm about to do something that will make me popular."  
  
"Well punching Malfoy would have made you popular with the Gryffindors if you hadn't denied it."  
  
"Why do you think I denied it. Of course that made Malfoy my enemy, but I can handle myself. One question, how do I handle the Professor Trelawney subject?"  
  
"That is a problem, isn't it? Most of the boys in Gryffindor, except maybe Neville, think she's ridiculous. Lavender and Parvati on the other hand worship her."  
  
"Just Parvati and Lavender? That's simple enough. Around them I'll make fun of her, it won't be hard, and around everybody else I'll just pretend to adore her. That will take a lot of willpower though."  
  
Hermione laughed and they entered the dorm. It was already occupied by Lavender and Parvati.  
  
"Jasmine," Parvati said as if noticing her for the first time, "Why didn't you tell us you were a Seer?"  
  
"Why would I have?" J.D. asked.  
  
"Because we're Seers too! Well probably not as good as you, but still." Lavender replied.  
  
"First of all my name is J.D., second I don't know where you got the idea that I was a Seer, and third I think Divination is ridiculous."  
  
Hermione was smiling and nodding at her. J.D. hoped that she had done the right thing. If they really believed she was a Seer and wanted to hang out with her that would cause even more problems for her plan. And if those two nitwits were Seers then J.D. was going to start walking around the school stark naked.  
  
Lavender and Parvati looked stunned. As if they were strung together they both turned at the same time and went to their beds without another word. Before going to her bed Hermione whispered:  
  
"That was a perfect performance. To tell you the truth, I'm not too popular with the Divination Twins either. I make the mistake of constantly criticizing Professor Trelawney. Goodnight."  
  
J.D. walked over to her bed and quickly undressed. She got in her bed, which felt a little more familiar now, and started to fall asleep.  
  
'Well,' she thought, 'I have certainly made things interesting for myself. I just hope that I am up to the challenge. And that I know what to do when the time comes.'  
  



	6. The Professors of Potions and Defense

A/N: Thank you to the people who reviewed my previous chapters. However I haven't, as of the day I post this chapter, recieved any reviews for my 5th chapter. Please people, read and review! I guarrantee this is going to be good and if it isn' then write me and I'll change it. (maybe)  
  
  
Chapter 6:The Professors of Potions and Defense  
  
  
Harry woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and cheerful. Until he remembered what class he had that day.  
  
"No, not Potions," he mumbled half-heartedly to himself. He then remembered that although he had Potions today, he also had Defense Against the Dark Arts. Potions might not be all bad either, especially if J.D. decided to hit Malfoy again.  
  
Seeing that Ron was still asleep, Harry went over to his bed and shook him.  
  
"Ron wake up! Everybody else is down at breakfast."  
  
"Huh, what? Oh, it's you Harry. Okay I'm up," Ron said sleepily.  
  
Harry and Ron quickly put on their Hogwarts robes and hurried down to breakfast. They seated themselves across from J.D. and Hermione.  
  
"Good morning," Hermione said cheerfully.  
  
"Good morning to you too. Hey, do you know who the new Defense professor is, Herm?"  
  
"No, remember whoever it was wasn't at the Starting feast. I wonder, hmm," Hermione stared off into space.  
  
"Uh, Herm? Hello?" Harry waved a hand in front of her face.  
  
"Allow me, Harry," J.D. said. "MYA!" J.D. shouted right into Hermione's ear.  
  
Hermione started. "What? Oh I'm sorry, I got distracted."  
  
Ron frowned. "By what, Herm?"  
  
"Well, this may sound odd, but I thought I saw Viktor Krum." Hermione said.  
  
"Krum? Here? Where did you see him?" Harry asked her.  
  
"He's over there, whoever he is. Oh, no I got a good look at that boy. It isn't Viktor."  
  
Hermione was busy looking across the Hall, so she missed Ron's quiet sigh of relief.  
  
"I wonder who it is though," Hermione continued, "He looks almost exactly like Viktor. And I don't think I've seen him here before. "  
  
"Oh he's probably just another transfer student. He seems to be making friends with your sister though, J.D." Ron observed.   
  
"Really. Hmm. Oh well. Hello Neville," she said as he sat down, "Are you feeling alright?"  
  
Neville tuned a bit pink. "Oh I'm alright, I suppose. I'll be just fine after Potions."  
  
"Come on Neville, it's a brand new year. Just do your best and try not to let him get to you." Harry suggested.  
"Yeah, I guess. The biggest problem I have is that I can't concentrate when he yells at me."  
  
"Is that your problem?" J.D. asked. "Well that's easy enough to fix. I have a spell that will block out all sound for you so that you can work in peace."  
  
"Really? That's great, but what if I need to hear instructions?"  
  
"I can put on and take off the spell at any time. Also you'll work with me and I'll use hand signals." J.D. assured him.  
  
"Well," Neville hesitated, "I imagine that would work, if you're sure you can take it off."  
  
"Of course I'm sure. It's a fairly simple charm and Charms is my best subject. Would you like to try it?" Neville nodded, "Okay, here goes. Tranquillus!"  
  
Harry, Ron, Hermione and J.D. all looked expectantly at Neville. He waited a moment and then gave them the thumbs up sign. J.D. was very pleased that she could help out a friend. She waited another moment and said the counter charm.  
  
"Noisex!" J.D. whispered.  
  
Neville instantly heard all of the noise in the great hall come rushing back to him. The others started asking him questions and he nodded.  
  
"This charm could save my life. Are you sure that I'll be able to hear instructions?"  
  
"Of course. I can turn it off while the teacher is teaching and then turn it on while we get to work." J.D. replied.  
  
"Can you also make sure that if I'm going to be in trouble or something, you know because he thinks I'm not listening, you can turn it off?" Neville asked.  
  
"Sure. At the fist sign of trouble I'll turn it off."   
  
"J.D. that sounds like a great plan, but there's just one small problem," Hermione interjected, "What if Snape catches you performing a spell on Neville?"  
  
"I'll take all of the blame. Besides it doesn't sound like this Professor Snape likes you guys very much so maybe he'd be pleased if we put spells on each other."  
  
"I think the only spell he'd be pleased about would be if you Stunned Neville," Harry replied.  
  
* * *  
  
They rushed into the Potions dungeon only a few minutes before class began. Hurriedly they grabbed seats in the back. J.D. settled in and took out her cauldron, books and papers. She looked up, curious to see who this dreaded Potions professor was. She gasped when she saw him. It was that teacher from the Staff Room.   
  
"I hope you will be earlier next time, Potter," he said.  
  
"Oh no!" J.D. said softly.  
  
"What? What's wrong?" Neville asked her.  
  
"Nothing, I just didn't know he was the teacher." J.D. was not that worried. Like other professors, she just had to learn how to handle this one. However, she knew already that this class was going to cause problems, and as if to prove it Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins were sitting across the room.  
  
"I see we have a new student. Miss Miller I assume that you are adequately prepared. Today, students, we are going to prepare a Diaphanous Draught. You have until the end of the class to figure out how to create it. Begin."  
  
J.D. smiled triumphantly. This was going to be simple! She looked around a the other Gryffindors expecting them to be ready to work. Instead they all looked as if they had been hit in the face with a hard object.  
  
"Mya, what's the matter? Don't you know how to make an Invisibility potion?" J.D. asked.  
  
"No! That's the problem. This is an all time low for Snape. He hasn't taught us how to make this one yet, he hasn't even given us a list of ingredients! If I knew the ingredients at least then I could make it."  
  
"Miss Granger! Ten points from Gryffindor. Keep your voice down." said Snape.  
  
"The Slytherins don't seem to be having that problem," J.D. whispered.  
  
"Potter," Snape yelled, "Why aren't you working? Five points from Gryffindor."  
  
"I'll bet you anything that Snape gave them the instructions before class." Hermione whispered back, "None of us know how to make this potion and we're running out of time!"  
  
"I do," J.D. answered, "and I have an idea."  
  
She zapped a sheet of paper onto her desk that was covered in writing.  
  
"Here, this is the list of ingredients and instructions. Now watch."  
  
Underneath her table while Snape was praising Malfoy's potion, J.D. tapped the paper and said "Copy and Send." Instantly one of those papers arrived at each Gryffindors' table.  
  
"But this isn't exactly going to work with your plan, J.D.," Hermione said.  
  
"But it's not going to get me popularity if it has your name on it."  
  
The Gryffindors were confused for a moment by the sudden appearance of this paper, but when they saw what was on it they got to work. J.D. turned to her right and started to help Neville.  
  
"Okay are you ready Neville?" He nodded, "Tranquillus!"  
  
He gave her thumbs up and started to work. Each Gryffindor had been given specific instructions that if Snape came by their desk, they were to burn the paper. Neville was working well and periodically looked up to make sure that he was doing it properly. He looked up again and panicked. Tapping J.D. on the shoulder, he pointed to show her that Snape was coming. She just looked at him and gave a reassuring nod. She pointed to his paper and made a gesture that told him she was going to burn it.  
  
"Incendio!" J.D. whispered and the paper became a plie of ashes which she quickly swept off the table.  
  
"Longbottom," Snape said with a curl of his lip, "Let's see what disaster you have concocted this time."  
  
Quickly, J.D. performed the counter curse.  
  
"Noisex!" she muttered.  
  
All of the sound in the room came back to Neville. Snape was standing over him glaring menacingly, but he had no idea what to do. He looked over at J.D. and saw that she was pantomiming drinking the potion. He spooned some of his up and drank it. Slowly as he looked at his hands he saw them disappear. It worked so well that if Neville couldn't have felt his hands, he would have thought that they had been cut off.  
  
"Well, it looks as if you have done the potion correctly. Who was whispering instructions in your ear this time?" He said nastily.  
  
Neville paled. Worried, he glanced at J.D. She smiled reassuringly and he felt some of the color return to his face.  
  
"No, no one, sir. I did it by myself," Neville's voice was barely above a whisper.  
  
"Or perhaps Miss Granger assisted you as ususal. Five points from Gryffindor!"  
  
Instantly all of the Gryffindors started yelling at Snape.   
  
"That's not fair!"  
  
"You have no proof!"  
  
"Neville did it by himself!"  
  
Then J.D. added her voice to the rest.  
  
"Excuse me, sir, but Neville created his potion all by himself. Hermione was not close enough to have assisted him, or I would have heard it." J.D. said in a loud clear voice.  
  
Snape stopped. Dumbstruck he turned toward J.D. The other Gryffindors feared that J.D.'s comment meant more points from Gryffindor and were very surprised when Snape spoke again in a more rational voice.  
  
"Be that as that may, Miss Miller, I do not see how Longbottom could have created his potion without a list of ingredients and instructions. Some one must have assisted him."  
  
J.D. knew that she had won this argument, even if Snape did not. He was simply trying to intimidate her into confessing that she had helped Neville. If that was the way he wanted it then fine, but she had another idea.  
  
"Professor Snape, I am new to this school and new to this class. I was not aware that helping a fellow student was against school rules. I will keep that in mind for the future. However, since my classmates were unaware of how to make this potion, while I was aware, I felt it only polite to aide them with the small bit of knowledge I had. If you find this unacceptable, sir, then I will not do it again."  
  
The entire class ground to a halt. Even the Slytherins stopped their laughing to stare at J.D. and Snape. The Gryffindors, other than Harry, Ron, and Hermione, were staring at J.D. with a mixture of awe and horror.   
  
"Alright Miss Miller. This time I will excuse it, but in the future I expect all of my students to work on their own without help. Is that clear?"  
  
J.D. nodded. "Of course Professor. That is perfectly clear."  
  
"Fine. Class will end for today."  
  
The entire class was still sitting, staring at J.D. What they had just witnessed was impossible, and yet they had seen it with their own eyes. J.D. Miller, the strange girl from America, had just spoken back to Snape, and instead of becoming angry and deducting points, he had excused her. Gradually they all got up and made their way to Defense Against the Dark Arts. None of them said a word, but they were still staring at J.D. strangely.   
  
They stepped inside the classroom, and Harry grabbed J.D.'s arm. He pulled her towards a seat in the back.  
  
"What was that? I mean, how did you do that?" Harry asked.  
  
"You mean, that whole thing with Snape? It was simple really. The problem the rest of you have is that you either let him intimidate you or you let him get you angry. I did neither, I simply phrased my statement in a way that was oozing politeness, so he couldn't take away points. I was so respectful it made my teeth hurt, but it worked. Harry, he obviously loathes you and Hermione, so it may not work for you. He doesn't know me yet, so the only thing about me that bothers him is that I'm a Gryffindor."  
  
"But you stood up to Snape! No one has ever done that before without at least getting detention. This isn't exactly going to work with your plans. The other Gryffindors are going to be as shocked as we were."  
  
"I'll deal with that when the time comes. To change the subject, who's the Defense Professor?"  
  
"We don't know," Ron answered, "We have a new one every year. Our favorite was Professor Lupin, but he resigned because he's a werewolf. Last year we were taught by a Death Eater who was disguised as a famous Auror. He was actually our second Death Eater. Let's see, it was two Death Eaters, an idiot (that was Lockhart), and a werewolf. I wouldn't be surprised if this year it was a Kneazle."  
  
"You guys were really taught by a werewolf? That sounds cool."  
  
"Professor Lupin was the best, and he was one of my Dad's best friends." Harry said.  
  
"Guys, look!" Hermione pointed to show that the professor had entered the room. It was a woman.  
  
"Good morning class. I will be your Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. My name is Professor Zebré. I understand that you had an interesting teacher last year and I hope to be completely different. "  
  
A few students laughed.   
  
"Today I want to begin with a discussion. This means that everyone must participate. I want to discuss some of the creatures that the Ministry of Magic has declared as known wizard killers. Can anyone name one?"  
  
To no one's surprise Hermione raised her hand. Then Harry, Ron, and Neville raised theirs.  
  
"Well I am glad to see you know your dangerous beasts. Let's start with you Miss Granger." Professor Zebré said.  
  
"The Lethifold, also know as Living Shroud. It resembles a black cloak which glides around at night. The Lethifold attacks it's victims and suffocates them, then digests them," said Hermione sounding like once again she swallowed the textbook.  
  
"Very good Miss Granger, five points to Gryffindor. Does anyone know how to defeat a Lethifold? No? That's alright. If you turn to page twenty-seven in your Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them books it says that the Living Shroud is only repelled by the Patronus charm. Now, Mr. Potter?"  
  
"Um, there's the Basilisk. It's a giant serpent. I think it's something like a chicken egg hatched under a toad. It has poisonous fangs, but the greatest danger is it's eyes. If you look directly into them you'll die instantly and seeing them without looking directly at them will get you Petrified."  
  
"Thank you Mr. Potter, five points to Gryffindor. On page three of your books, you will see that it states the Basilisk is only controllable by Parselmouths. It also says that the Basilisk has not been seen in Britain for four hundred years. We know that isn't true, but more on that later. Mr. Weasley?"  
  
"Acromantula, a giant spider able to speak human. Um, it's carnivorous and the females are larger than the males. Let's see, they are absolutely untrainable and there is supposedly," he paused and grinned at Harry, "a colony of them in Scotland."  
  
"Well done Mr. Weasley, another five points to Gryffindor. Mr. Longbottom?"  
  
"The, uh, Nundu," most of the class gasped, "It is a giant leopard which can move silently despite it's size. It also takes at least a hundred wizards to subdue it."  
  
"Correct Mr. Longbottom, five more points for Gryffindor. The Nundu is considered the most dangerous beast alive today. Now I want to ask the class a question and I want everyone to answer it. Out of the creatures in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them or any others you might have met, which one scares you the most?"  
  
They spent the rest of the class discussing their fears. Professor Zebré told them that in their next class they would discuss ways to conquer those fears, because fear was something that the Dark Arts used to take control.  
  
"That was a really good lesson," Hermione said as they were walking to lunch.  
  
"Yeah I hope she stays for more than a year. She seems really good," Harry said.  
  
"She does seem good. I like the whole part about conquering our fears. I think it's a good idea," Ron said.  
  
"Yeah, I wonder what's for lunch." J.D. responded.  
  
* * *   
They seated themselves around the Gryffindor table and started to eat lunch. They were talking and being their normal selves. Harry was about to ask Ron a question about Quidditch when Hedwig flew in and dropped a letter on his plate.  
  
"Why are you getting mail now Harry?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I don't know. I thought mail only came at breakfast." He offered Hedwig some of his lunch. She hooted her thanks and flew off toward the Owlery.  
  
"Well go on and open it." Ron said.  
  
"Maybe I'd better wait. It could be from Snuffles." Harry glanced around to make sure no one was listening to them.  
  
"Who's Snuffles?" J.D. asked, confused.  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged a look. "I guess we'd better fill you in. Come back to the Tower with us." Harry said.  
  
* * *  
  
For the third time in three days J.D. was sitting in those squashy chairs in font of the fireplace. This time however the conversation was not about her.  
  
"So who's this Snuffles person?" she asked.  
  
"He's my godfather," Harry replied.  
  
"Oh. So what's the big deal? Why can't you talk about him? He's not like an escaped convict of something, is he?" J.D. laughed.  
  
"Well actually he is. My godfather is Sirius Black."  
  
"He's an escaped convict? Wow." J.D. said.  
  
"Wait, didn't you hear the name?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Yeah, Sirius Black. So?"  
  
"Don't you know who Sirius Black is?" Ron asked her.  
  
"Should I?" She replied.  
  
"He's famous! Well, famous for something he didn't do." Ron answered.  
  
"Wait, that name does ring a bell. Didn't he kill thirteen people at once?"  
  
"Actually, no. But everyone thinks he did. It wasn't him," Harry said.  
  
"Oh. Okay, well aren't you going to open your letter?"  
  
Harry ripped open the envelope. Inside was a single sheet of paper that indeed did seem to be from Sirius Black.  
  
Harry scanned the letter. "He says that he's back in Hogsmeade. Oh, and he wants us to meet him in the Shrieking Shack when we have our next trip. That's Halloween."  
  
"That sounds okay. You'd better write him back, Harry," Hermione said.  
  
"Okay, we'll all go and see him on Halloween. J.D. you can't mention Sirius to anyone. At all, not even your sister."  
  
"Why would I say anything to my sister? She and I aren't speaking right now."  
  
"Why, did you have a fight?" Hermione inquired.  
  
"I can't stand seeing Crystal with Malfoy. I tried to talk to her about it, but she just won't listen to me. I don't really wan to talk about it right now. What class do we have next?"  
  
"Charms," Ron replied.  
  
"Oh good. That's my best subject."  
  
* * *  
  
As they hiked back down to Charms Harry realized just how much exercise he had had in the pat few days. This led to other thoughts including some particularly disturbing ones about Voldemort. Harry was constantly wondering whether or not Voldemort was doing something right at that very moment. He was particularly worried because there had been no sign of him for months.  
  
Pushing all thoughts of Voldemort from his mind he settled into his regular seat in Professor Flitwick's class. He looked up toward the front of the classroom and then pinched himself.  
  
"Oww." he muttered.  
  
It wasn't a dream. That girl in the front of the class really was Fleur Delacour.   
  
"'Arry! It eez you!" she exclaimed and came forward.   
  
"Fleur? What are you doing here?" Harry asked her, confused.  
  
"Well it eez like zis, Professor Flitwizk needed an assistant and 'ere est moi!"  
  
"You have a job here?" Harry asked.  
  
"Oui, Charms eez my best sujet {subject}. 'Ow are you?" Fleur inquired.  
  
"I'm fine. Oh, you remember my friends Ron and Hermione," Harry said.  
  
Fleur looked searchingly at Ron as if she was trying to remember something about him.  
  
"Oh oui! You are ze ozzer boy who rescued my sister from ze lake! 'Ow are you?" Before Ron could respond she had turned to Hermione, "Et you, you are Viktor's girlfriend, oui?  
  
"Uh, non. We broke up a while ago." Hermione said, somewhat flustered.  
  
"Oh well, c'est la vie. 'Arry, Cedric, how are 'is parents?"  
  
"As well as can be expected. Um, hadn't you better be getting the class started," Harry asked.  
  
"Oh, oui. Merci 'Arry,"   
  
"Hey Harry," Dean Thomas whispered from another table, "She looks awfully familiar. Isn't she beautiful?"   
  
"She should look familiar," Harry whispered back, "She was one of the Triwizard Champions. And she's part veela."  
  
"She really is something, isn't she?" Ron said as Professor Flitwick began the class.  
  
After Ron said that J.D. noticed a slight scowl on Hermione's face, but later she thought she must of imagined it.  
  
Not to be outdone by anyone, Hermione had requested that they all learn the Tranquility Charm that J.D. had used on Neville. Professor Flitwick thought that that was an excellent idea. He even hinted that the charm might be on their upcoming O.W.L.s.   
  
They left the class feeling distinctly more tranquil, although Hermione was the only one, other than J.D., who mastered it completely. They were moving towards the Great Hall when J.D. stopped in her tracks.  
  
"I don't know if I can handle this right now," she said.  
  
"What are you talking about? Come on it's time for dinner," Ron said  
  
"I just don't think I can go through another meal, watching my sister sit with that disgusting jerk."  
  
"J.D. you have to eat," Hermione declared.  
  
"Not now I don't. Go on without me, I'll be up in the Common Room." With that she turned and went back up the corridor.  
  
J.D. went up to her room and flung herself on her bed. Then she pulled out the bag Cynthia had bought her and opened it up. Inside was a vial of silvery-clear liquid and a note.  
  
_Dear Jay,  
  
You know what this is. It should last you about 9 hours if I calculated it right. Don't take it all at once, because I don't think that's very good for you. Have fun!  
  
– Cynthia_  
  
Now all she had to do was wait for the other girls to go to sleep. Then she could find out exactly what she needed to know.


	7. The Midnight Tour of Hogwarts

A/N: I dashed off this chapter for those of you who were waiting. It's kinda short cause there wasn't much to do with this part but it is vital to the plot. If you want more please review!!! Anyway I don't know how long it will be between chapters now 'cause I have finals coming this week and I actually have to study. Afterward though, school will be out (Yeah!!) And I'll have some time to write.  
  
By the way has anybody else ever wondered why Filch's cat is a Mrs? Is she married? And to who?   
Who's Mr. Norris?  
  
  
Chapter 7: The Midnight Tour of Hogwarts  
  
  
J.D. quietly got up from her bed, after checking to make sure that everyone else was asleep. A few snores and heavy breathing reassured her about that. It was the perfect time to do some exploring, when no one could interfere. J.D. took the small vial of potion out and drank a third of it. She hoped that it would last three hours. Slowly she started to disappear.  
  
Sneaking down the stairs, careful not to make much noise, J.D. hurried across to the portrait hole. In her hurry, she didn't notice that someone was sitting in one of the armchairs by the fireplace. She climbed out (the Fat Lady was very confused to not see a body) and made her way towards the Great Hall. That, J.D. figured was where she should start.  
  
She started walking in the opposite direction from where the Gryffindor Tower was and walked for a long time before she came to a fork in the hall. Deciding to go left, J.D. continued on. She walked again a long time until she came to a flight of stairs. She was about to walk up when she heard a voice.  
  
"Smell around, my sweet. I want to make sure that no one is about. Filthy children, making messes at night, they think I won't catch them, but they're wrong..."  
  
J.D. held her breath as the caretaker Filch and his creepy cat, Mrs. Norris, walked past. Mrs. Norris paused a moment at looked straight at J.D. before continuing. J.D. was nervous. She didn't want to be caught, that wasn't the point of the whole excursion. J.D. walked up the stairs and came face to face with another boy. It was the boy Hermione said reminded her of Viktor Krum. He was examining the walls, periodically knocking on them as if checking for secret passageways. J.D. stood watching him for a moment until he stopped knocking and seemed to have given up. He let out a muffled curse and walked in the opposite direction from where she was standing.   
  
"I don't know how I let dem talk me into dis. Dis is ridiculous. I don't know vhat dey vant from me anyvays. I should be goink {go-ink ; going} to sleep." The boy continued muttering as he walked down the hall.   
  
She followed at a distance, curious to see where he was going. A small interruption occurred just then, that prevented her from trailing the boy. As she walked past the wall upon which the boy had been knocking, the panel creaked and slid open revealing a small room.  
  
J.D. was completely shocked. It looked as if the room was meant for her. She stepped inside, the doorframe was exactly the right height, and the panel shut behind her. She wasn't afraid, though, because she somehow knew she was safe. The room was painted purple, (her favorite color) and it smelled like jasmine. That was J.D.'s comfort smell. If she smelled jasmine then everything was alright.   
  
The room made J.D. curious. How did it get there? There were so many interesting things inside, like a purple chaise lounge, mosaic table, pitcher and glasses, and even a clock. There was a beautiful mirror, framed in purple glass, that hung on the far wall. She crossed the room to look in it and was confused by what she saw. It looked like Crystal. She seemed to be examining another room, one filled with crystal. J.D. leaned in closer for a better look and bent so far forward that her nose touched the glass. But instead of bumping her nose, it went right through.  
  
"Crystal?" J.D. asked hesitantly, not sure if Crystal could hear her or see her .  
  
"J.D.? What are you-?" Crystal began and then stopped at the sight of what was in front of her. J.D. had her head through the mirror.  
  
"What is going on Crystal? Where are we?"   
  
"I don't know. But I think these rooms, I think they were made for us."  
  
"Crystal I'm supposed to be invisible. How can you see me?"  
  
"Maybe, it's the mirror. I don't know J.D. I don't know what's going on. We'd better go, can you find your way back?" J.D. nodded, "Good. Don't tell about this. At least leave me out if you tell the story to your friends. Understand?" J.D. nodded again.  
  
Crystal left her room and J.D. turned and left hers. She'd spent more time in that room then she thought she had. Racing back down the stairs, J.D. suddenly realized that she was lost.  
  
"Not again, not now!" she moaned.  
  
Stopping to take a breath next to an ugly stone gargoyle, J.D. notice someone had dropped a piece of chocolate on the ground.  
  
"Hmm, it looks like a chocolate frog."  
  
To J.D.'s astonishment, at those words the gargoyle came to life and jumped aside, revealing a spiral staircase that was continually moving, like an escalator. She stepped on cautiously and found herself being carried up and up. When she finally reached the top she was facing a solid oak door with a gold griffin door knocker. Carefully, J.D. motioned to use the knocker, but she found that the door was already open. She stepped inside and the door creaked shut.  
  
"How nice to see you, Miss Miller."  
  
J.D. stumbled on the rug at the sound of that voice. Professor Dumbledore was sitting at a claw-footed desk in front of her, his eyes twinkling.   
  
"Professor Dumbledore! Oh, I had know idea that this was your office! I'm so sorry!"  
  
"Don't worry, Miss Miller, you're not going to be in trouble. You're not the first student to go exploring the school. However I think that it may have been more than that that brought you to my office. Is there anything you would like to discuss with me?" Professor Dumbledore asked.  
  
J.D. thought about her secret room, she couldn't tell him that, but there was that boy.  
  
"Well when I was, er, exploring I saw this boy. He's new here too and he looks like Viktor Krum."  
  
"Ah, that is Mr. Krum's brother, Vladimir. Please go on."  
  
"Yes, well, Vladimir was tapping on walls in this one corridor. Then he started talking to himself, saying that someone had told him to do whatever it was he was doing."  
  
"I see, thank you Miss Miller. By the way, how are you enjoying Hogwarts?"   
  
"I like it very much, sir. It's certainly larger than Tolblox," J.D. replied.  
  
"I am glad. Although I imagine it is different from America. I wanted to inquire, have you had any more visions, since the test?"  
  
J.D. was about to reply that she hadn't when she caught herself. "Who told you I was having visions?"  
  
"Why Mr. Potter. It seemed he was concerned about your visions of him. He gave the impression that you would be coming to see me yourself."  
  
"Oh, well. I haven't had any more Professor," J.D. answered truthfully.  
  
"Good, good. I think that will be all Miss Miller. Please come see me whenever you have a problem, or something peculiar happens."  
  
Did he know? J.D. liked the headmaster, but sometimes she felt that he could read minds. She thanked him and left his office. Heading back down the spiral staircase, J.D. noticed a little poem carved into the wall.  
  
_Strong are the bonds that hold us together  
  
Our love will be real through all kinds of weather   
  
The storms that come soon cannot tear us apart  
  
Forever and ever we are joined in the heart_  
  
J.D. liked that poem and made a note of it. There were initials carved next to the poem, a JP. She continued walking until she realized that she was still lost and that the potion might have worn off. She was trying to find a land mark when she bumped into something. The problem was, there was nothing in front of her to bump into.  
  
"J.D., it's me, Harry. I've got my invisibility cloak. Come under," Harry said.  
  
Confused, but grateful for the protection, J.D. got under the cloak.  
  
"Harry what are you doing here? How did you know where to find me?"  
  
Harry showed her a map, it was amazing. The entire school was shown including some secret passageways and there were little dots that labeled people, which moved around according to where they were. Right on the spot she was standing there were two dots labeled, Harry Potter and Jasmine Miller.  
  
"This is amazing! Where did you get this?" J.D. asked.  
  
"I'll tell you later. Now, we've got to get back to Gryffindor tower, before we're caught."  
  
"I have something amazing to tell you too, but I wouldn't mind a little sleep."  
  
Harry led the way back, using the Marauder's Map as a guide. They chatted quietly along the way.  
  
"What were you doing out of bed now? No, don't tell me, you were using your unpopularity to go sneaking around the school," Harry shook his head.  
  
"Right in one. I found something amazing, but I'll tell you, Ron and Mya later," J.D. yawned, "Wow, I am really tired."  
  
"I wonder why, it might be because it's one thirty in the morning and you've been prancing around the school all night."  
  
They made it all the way back to the Tower with out getting caught, although Peeves gave them a scare. He almost caught them and that would have meant loads of trouble. After saying good night to Harry, J.D. ran upstairs to her dorm and crept in. She fell asleep instantly.  
  
* * *  
  
J.D. said good night and ran off to her dorm, so Harry started off toward his. He climbed the staircase and let himself into the room. Hee found Ron waiting on his bed.  
  
"So did you find her?" Ron asked.  
  
"Yeah. She was lost, but it seemed like she came from Dumbledore's office. I wonder what they talked about. Oh, and J.D. said she had something she wanted to tell us about. I'm too tired. G'night, Ron."  
  
"Good night Harry," Ron watched as his best friend climbed into bed and then settled in himself. It had be a long night.  



	8. Hogsmeade and Snuffles

Disclaimer: I know that I've forgotten to put this in my other chapters, but really do you actually think that I created Harry Potter? J.K. Rowling is the genius who created Harry's world. I am only responsible for Tolblox, J.D. and Crystal. I'm only 15 so I have no money, please don't sue!  
  
A/N: Yay!!! School is over! I now have more time to write. Please R/R!!! I need to be reviewed!   
  
This chapter is kinda short, but the next one is going to be vital to the story and will probably be long.  
  
Oh, and check out my other fanfic which I am in the middle of writing. I'm going to alternate writing chapters.  
  
  
Chapter 8:Hogsmeade and Snuffles  
  
  
J.D. and Harry had a silent, mutual agreement not to discuss what happened that night. J.D. had intended to share the news of her secret room with her three friends, but when the time came she left that part out of her story. Instead she only mentioned Viktor Krum's brother's strange behavior.   
  
"That is strange. I wonder what Viktor's brother is doing here anyway," Hermione said.  
  
"I don't know," J.D. replied, but she was worried that his appearance at Hogwarts had something to do with her secret room.  
  
Over the next month and a half, J.D. visited her room whenever she was feeling unhappy or just needed to get away from the crowded school. She never saw Crystal through the mirror, though. Sometimes J.D. wondered if Crystal was purposely avoiding her. She had been spending a lot of time with Malfoy and whenever Crystal passed J.D. in the hall she always avoided her older sister's gaze.  
  
Despite her exile from the rest of the school's social order, J.D. was enjoying school. She was happy whenever she could just hang around with her three best friends. They seemed to enjoy her company too, although Harry had been acting strange since her midnight tour of Hogwarts. Most of the time he seemed his normal, happy self, but sometimes there was a strange look in his green eyes.   
  
Finally it was Halloween and J.D.'s first trip to Hogsmeade. She was looking forward to it especially because she could go wherever she wanted without having to play her game of unpopularity. With only Harry, Ron, and Hermione around she could be herself. Although she was getting very good at it, her unpopularity was taking a lot out of her and she wasn't sleeping well. J.D. was having more dreams with lots of green light and that high pitched laugh. Now that she knew Harry was the boy in her visions and dreams, she suspected she also knew who the man with the laugh was.  
  
On Halloween morning, Hermione shook J.D. awake. J.D. always had difficulty getting up and even the thought of the trip wasn't enough to rouse her. She eventually pulled herself out of bed and got dressed. On the way out of the room J.D. was openly snubbed by Parvati and Lavender. It was a daily routine by then and in a strange way, J.D. found comfort in the everydayness of it. She found Harry and Ron already waiting downstairs. Hermione joined them a moment later and they started off for Hogsmeade talking along the way.   
  
"You'll love Hogsmeade J.D.," Ron said excitedly, "It's got the greatest stores!"  
  
"Yeah, we'll have to go into Honeydukes and Zonko's, but don't forget that we have to meet Snuffles," Harry reminded them.  
  
J.D. grinned. "I can't wait to meet this godfather of your's."  
  
* * *  
  
After buying lot's of treats at Honeydukes and pranks at Zonko's the four friends started walking towards the end of the main street. When they reached the rickety, old building at the end of the road, which J.D. could only assume was the Shrieking Shack, there was a big black dog waiting for them. When they approached, the dog let out a low growl and looked hesitantly at Harry.  
  
"It's okay Snuffles, this is our friend J.D. You can trust her, I promise. Where's Professor Lupin?" Harry asked.  
  
The black dog just turned and walked behind the building. Indicating a small opening in the wall, he walked through. Amazed, J.D. followed her friends as one by one they squeezed through the space.  
  
"Harry, you didn't mention that your godfather was a dog. Don't you think that's kind of strange," J.D. whispered.  
  
"It's not as if he's a dog all the time. He's an animagus. Come on."   
  
They found themselves in a dusty, dirty room with scattered pieces of broken furniture. It wasn't quite as filthy as the last time Harry had been there and he assumed that Sirius had done some cleaning.  
  
A minute later they were joined by a tall man with dark brown hair, slightly worn robes, and a worried look on his face. Harry ran to him and gave him a hug.  
  
"Sirius! How are you? Where's Professor Lupin? Where's Buckbeak?"   
  
"I'm fine Harry. Umm," Sirius glanced at J.D., "is there something you would like to tell me?"  
  
"Oh, this is J.D. Miller. She's a transfer student from America," Harry replied.  
  
"Harry, could I speak to you?" Sirius pulled him over to the corner and began speaking in a low voice.   
  
A moment later they came back to the others and Sirius smiled at J.D.   
  
"It seems that I can trust you. It even appears that you don't know who I am. However Harry assures me that it is okay to discuss business in front of you. There was also something about visions?"  
  
With a reassuring nod from Harry she explained her visions of Harry to Sirius. He gave a thoughtful nod.  
  
"I think Moony had better hear this too," he said.  
  
"Is he here? I haven't seen him in years!" Harry said excitedly.  
  
"Who's Moony?" J.D. asked.  
  
"Remus Lupin. My best friend and he was a teacher at Hogwarts. We're both on special business for Dumbledore," Sirius answered.  
  
While they sat around and waited for Lupin to arrive, Sirius asked Harry questions about school, life, and even questions about Lord Voldemort.  
  
"You haven't had any more visions, have you Harry?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Me? No, it's been all quiet on the Voldemort front."  
  
"Harry are you feeling all right?" Sirius asked concernedly, "This doesn't sound like you."  
  
"I'm fine Sirius. Nothing bad has happened to me. Now you, why is everything so quiet? Why hasn't Voldemort made his move? Are the Dementors still at Azkaban?"  
  
"I have no idea why Voldemort is keeping quiet, Harry. And yes the Dementors are still at Azkaban. They haven't moved to join Voldemort yet and Fudge still refuses to accept the fact that he has come back."  
  
"Why doesn't this Fudge person take precautions?" J.D. asked.  
  
"Fudge is our Minister of Magic. Unfortunately, Voldemort is a very touchy subject in Britain, and most people refuse to believe that he could come back. They believe that when he tried to curse Harry and failed, that was the end of it. Fudge is being very foolish, and those of us who believe Voldemort is back are hoping that his mistake won't destroy the wizarding world," Sirius explained.  
  
At that moment they were joined by another man with sandy brown hair with a few flecks of grey. He looked very tired.  
  
"Nothing, Padfoot. That's what I got, a load of nothing. And you know, I may not be a convicted murderer, but people sure are hesitant to talk to a werewolf. Oh hello you three. And who's this?" Remus Lupin asked when he saw J.D.  
  
"This is J.D. Miller, Professor Lupin. She's an exchange student from America," Harry said.  
  
"Harry, please, I am no longer your teacher. You, Ron, Hermione, and I suppose J.D. can call me Remus. It's nice to meet you J.D. I trust you'll forgive the informality, but this really isn't the time for formalities. If I may ask, what are you doing here?"   
  
J.D. explained her visions to him. He nodded pensively.   
  
"A true Seer? That could come in very useful. And you say your last vision was about two months ago?" J.D. nodded, "I see. I trust you have spoken to Dumbledore. I don't see what else we can do about that right now, we can only hope that Harry does not have to face Voldemort this year. It's been what, once a year since you came to Hogwarts, Harry?" Lupin gave a small smile.  
  
Harry smiled back. It was good that he was able to smile about his encounters with Voldemort especially since Cedric's death the year before. "Almost, Remus. Except for that year when we cornered you, Sirius and Wormtail in this very Shrieking Shack. Voldemort didn't show up that year."  
  
Both Remus and Sirius' faces darkened at the name Wormtail. The looked both angry and distressed at the same time. J.D. wondered how one name (and a stupid one at that) could change the looks on two adult men's faces so quickly. She leaned over to ask Hermione about it.  
  
"Hey Mya. Who's Wormtail and why does the name make the two of them so angry?"  
  
Hermione looked stricken. "Wormtail is the nickname for Peter Pettigrew. He was once a close friend of theirs and Harry's parents, but he betrayed them to Voldemort and then set Sirius up as the culprit. Two years ago we cornered Sirius here, thinking he was the traitor. Luckily, Professor Lupin stopped us before we turned Sirius over to the Death Eaters. It turned out that Peter was the real traitor and he had been hiding as Ron's pet rat for twelve years. Sirius had escaped Azkaban to come to Hogwarts and capture Peter in case Peter tried to kill Harry. That night, Sirius and Professor Lupin forced Peter to transform and confess, but Harry stopped them from killing him. We tried to take Peter to the Death Eaters, but Peter transformed and escaped. Only thanks to my Time Turner were we able to save Sirius from the Dementor's Kiss."  
  
"Whoa. I had no idea," J.D. said astonished.  
  
"Very few people do," Ron now joined in the conversation, "That's why Harry can't live with Sirius and he has to be on the run. Most people still think he's the criminal."  
  
"Wait, did you say this Peter Pettigrew spent twelve years as a rat?"  
  
"That's right."  
  
Sirius' voice made all three of them jump.  
  
"It's okay. J.D., Peter, James, and I are or were animagus'. Peter can transform into a rat at will. That's why we called him Wormtail. I believe that Voldemort has turned the name into a cruel joke."  
  
"What about Professor Lupin?" J.D. asked.  
  
"Please, it's Remus now. I believe you already know I'm a werewolf," Remus replied.  
  
J.D. was still confused about what was going on. Why was she here? What was going on? For the first time in months, she was beginning to think she was in over her head. The threat of Voldemort wasn't nearly so high in America.  
  
"Back in California, we weren't worried about Voldemort either. Why is it so bad here?"  
  
The smile gone from his face, Sirius replied. "If Voldemort regains full strength, it won't matter if you're on another continent. There won't be another Lily Potter to die for Harry, and consequently destroy Voldemort. The entire wizarding world, on all continents, will be in danger. Foolish men like Minister Fudge could be our downfall."  
  
J.D. did not know what to say to that. She had no idea the situation was so terrible. She was finally beginning to realize how important her visions could be to the Light side.  
  
"Sirius, why did you want to meet with us?" Harry asked.  
  
"I wanted to know that you were alright and I just wanted to see you again. Remus wanted to see the three of you again also," he answered.  
  
They spent a little longer, talking and exchanging stories. Then they left the Shrieking Shack, making sure that no one saw them. Sirius promised he'd keep in touch and the four friends set off for a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks. Ron led them to a table and then went to get the drinks.  
  
"Harry," J.D. said in a low voice, "I had no idea things were the way they are. And I had no idea that you've been through so much. I'm sorry."  
  
Harry looked J.D. in her blue-green eyes and smiled a shaky smile. "Please don't worry about it J.D. It's not as if you've done anything wrong and I'm healthy, aren't I? I'm doing just fine, and with Dumbledore on our side, we don't have to worry."  
  
Much reassured, J.D. took a big sip of her drink, which she had never had before, and found that it was very enjoyable.   
  
* * *  
  
Harry watched as J.D. enjoyed her butterbeer and then watched his friends exchanging funny stories of bygone years. He wished he could tell anyone else what he knew in his heart, but it would only worry them and take away the peace and happiness they had strived for for so many years. Harry was positive that in the war against Voldemort, the Light side would come out on top, but he was also sure that they wouldn't get there without losing so much of what joy they had.   
  
Harry loathed Lord Voldemort. He had destroyed so many lives and even if he didn't kill them, he hurt people in ways from which they could never recover. In the past four and a half years, since Harry came to the wizarding world, he came to know how hard people had worked to rebuild what Voldemort had taken away. Now, thanks to Harry's blood and folly, Voldemort was going to destroy it all over again. And like Sirius said, this time there was no Lily Potter to die for him. Harry knew that this was going to be a bloody and terrible battle, but if you looked around the Three Broomsticks that afternoon, you would have no idea that a horrible, evil, Dark Wizard was going to come and take all of the happiness away.  



	9. The Christmas Ball

Disclaimer: Do you really think that I created Harry Potter? J.K. Rowling is the genius who created Harry's world. I am only responsible for Tolblox, J.D. and Crystal. I'm only 15 so I have no money, please don't sue!  
  
A/N: This didn't turn out as long as I thought it would, and I suppose there's a sort of cliffhanger at the end, but it's still a very important chapter and vital to the plot. I've actually had this chapter planned from the beginning, but I couldn't write it until I had written everything before it. Any who, please R/R at the end.  
  
  
Chapter 9:The Christmas Ball  
  
  
In the time between Halloween and Christmas, Ron and Hermione noticed a large change in J.D. and Harry. Harry seemed easily offended and there was definitely a difference in his bright green eyes. J.D. on the other hand, wasn't getting any sleep and Hermione could hear her calling out in the night. She seemed unfocused and her grades began to sink. Ron and Hermione had never seen J.D. like that before, but they knew that something was wrong with Harry and they suspected they knew what it was. They were determined to talk with both of them, but that was more difficult then it seemed. Harry would make excuses and run off anytime Ron and Hermione would corner him. J.D. was hardly around during any of their free time and they had no idea where she went. Soon, the only time they saw her was during meals and class. Hermione tried talking to her once during breakfast, but J.D. fell asleep in her oatmeal.  
  
Ron and Hermione were starting to worry. Harry had had these type of mood swings before, they usually stemmed from guilt. Hermione suspected that Harry was still not over his part in Cedric's death and with the threat of Voldemort real and dangerous, Harry was blaming himself.  
  
Neither of them could figure out what was wrong with J.D. Ron suggested that Hermione listen to what J.D. said at night, but it was unintelligible. They decided to split up, Ron was to corner Harry and not let him get away and Hermione was to do the same with J.D.   
  
* * *  
  
J.D. was spending most of her time in her secret room. When she stopped hanging around the common room it was because she was trying to get some sleep in the room. She was having bad dreams, dreams from which she woke up breathless. Her dreams were so bad that she wasn't sleeping and often would steal away to her room for a nap. But no matter how comfortable she was in her secret room, she could not fall asleep.  
  
One morning, three days before the Christmas holidays, J.D. was getting ready to go to her secret room when Hermione caught her by the arm.  
  
"Okay J.D., we need to talk. And no excuses, you're coming with me."  
  
Before she could protest, J.D. found herself being dragged outside the castle towards the lake. Dumbfounded, she sat down on a rock in front of Hermione and the latter began to speak.  
  
"Okay, talk with me J.D. What is going on with you?"  
  
"What do you mean Mya?" J.D. asked.  
  
"Don't give me that. You know perfectly well what I mean. You're not sleeping, you're missing most of the time, and you're hiding something. Talk to me J.D., I'm your friend."  
  
J.D. was caught in a quandary. She didn't know if she could tell Hermione about the room or the dreams. She decided she could at least tell her about the dreams.  
  
"I'm not sleeping well because of nightmares. Over and over, I hear Lord Voldemort laugh and there's flashes of green light, and Harry dies. I can't sleep and I can't concentrate."   
  
J.D. thought she had gotten Hermione off the track of her disappearances, but that hope was quickly dashed when Hermione spoke again.  
  
"Harry's had nightmares before too, and unfortunately we haven't been able to stop them. I think you had better tell Professor Dumbledore about your dreams. Now, come on, that wasn't the whole question, why have you been disappearing in school?" Seeing the reluctant look on J.D.'s face, Hermione continued, "J.D. you can trust me. I promise. Forget that you're talking to Hermione the Prefect and just tell Mya your friend."  
  
J.D. was still unsure, but she knew that eventually she would have to tell someone and it might as well be her best friend.  
  
"Okay, if I tell you, you have to promise not to tell anyone else, not even Ron or Harry. If I decide to, I'll tell them in good time."  
  
"I promise," Hermione said.  
  
"Alright. A couple of months ago, when I took that little tour of Hogwarts, and I said I saw Krum's brother, that wasn't the whole story. I was about to follow him, but when I walked past the wall he'd been tapping on the panel slid open and revealed a room below. I walked in and it looked as if it had been made for me." J.D. could see the skepticism on Hermione's face, "No really, everything was purple and it smelled like jasmine. That's where I've been going whenever I've needed to escape the crowded school."  
  
"That is strange, it just opened up? You've told Professor Dumbledore about this, right?" Hermione noticed the way J.D. ducked her head and correctly surmised the answer. "You didn't! J.D. this is very important, you have to tell him."  
  
"No! I can't, alright? Don't ask anymore questions and don't you dare tell him yourself. You promised. Now let's change the subject."  
  
"You're right J.D., I did promise, but I wish you'd tell him yourself. Anyway, to change the subject, did you hear about the Christmas Ball we're having? We had a Yule Ball last year, traditionally it's only for the Triwizard Tournament, but it was such a big hit that we're having one this year. Do you know who you would like to go with?"  
  
"Neville has already asked me," J.D. replied, "I told him I'd think about it and that I wasn't sure I would even be able to go."   
  
"Why not?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Mya you know that the ball is not something us unpopular people go to. Besides, I think Neville should go with Ron's little sister. I think he likes her."  
  
"He likes you too!"  
  
"I like Neville, but as a friend. I think he feels that way about me too. Who are you going with?"  
  
Hermione flushed a little. "Oh I don't know, I might go alone."  
  
J.D. rolled her eyes. "Oh please. Hermione, why don't you just ask Ron to go to the Ball?"  
  
Hermione turned redder. "Excuse me?"  
  
"Now it's my turn to say don't give me that. I know perfectly well that you like Ron and that he feels the same way about you. The only problem you two have is that you feel he is supposed to do the asking and Ron's too shy around girls to ask you. You're going to have to be the one to ask him."  
  
Hermione looked thoughtful. "You think so?"  
  
"Yes I think so. I guarantee that he'd say yes if you asked him."  
  
"Well what about you?" Hermione countered.  
  
"What about me?"  
  
"If I ask Ron, then you have to ask Harry."  
  
J.D. nearly fell off the rock in surprise. "Hermione have you gone off your rocker? Why would I ask Harry to the Ball?"  
  
"Because you like him," Hermione said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Maybe I do, but that is besides the point. He would not go to the Ball with me when he could go with any girl in the school, besides going to the Ball with the Harry Potter might win me some popularity points and that's not in the plan."  
  
"All of your arguments are stupid. Harry likes you too and going with him would probably make others jealous."  
  
"I'm not going with Harry. I can't. I'll either go alone or not go at all. Leave it at that."  
  
"Fine, but do me a favor. Stop disappearing all the time and get a good night's sleep."  
  
"If I could I would," J.D. muttered under her breath at the retreating figure of Hermione as she made her way back to the castle. A moment later J.D. followed.  
  
* * *  
  
Back at the castle a similar conversation was occurring in the boy's dormitory. Ron had grabbed Harry after breakfast as well, and led him up into their room.  
  
"Harry, what is the matter with you? And don't tell me it's nothing. You're not leaving this room until I get a real answer."  
  
"What do you want to know Ron?"  
  
"What is wrong with you? You've been acting strange for months."  
  
"Ron, I have been acting strange because I feel guilty."  
  
"Guilty? Is this about Cedric? You know you couldn't have done anything about that! Even Dumbledore had told you that it's not your fault! What more do you want?"  
  
"It's not about Cedric, not really. I do feel guilty about his death every time I look at Cho, but I'm not thinking of him. I'm thinking of Voldemort."  
  
Like always, Ron shuddered at the name. "What do you mean you're thinking of You-Know-Who? Why would you feel guilty over him?"  
  
"It's my fault, every step of the way, that Voldemort has returned to power. I stopped Sirius and Remus from killing Wormtail, and if I hadn't then Wormtail would never have helped Voldemort again. Then it was with my blood that Voldemort got his body back. What was the other ingredient? Flesh of a servant, Wormtail's arm. If he was dead, then there would be no arm would there? It's all my fault."  
  
Ron had never seen Harry like this before. It was unnatural. "Harry, would you listen to yourself? This isn't you! If it wasn't for you then He Who Shall Not Be Named wouldn't have been destroyed in the first place, buying us time. Harry you've escaped from him and ruined his plans three more times since then. You're a hero!"  
  
Harry laughed humorlessly. "A hero? You must be joking. That's very funny, a hero who gets innocent people killed while he is busy escaping from the bad guy."  
  
"Other than Cedric, who has died at You-Know-Who's hands that you feel responsible for?"  
  
"Isn't Cedric's death enough? How about my parents? Voldemort told me that my mother didn't have to die, that she only died to save me."  
  
"Harry, nobody besides You-Know-Who and possibly Wormtail, is responsible for your parents deaths. It was not your fault. You think that if your mum had let Him kill you that she would just walk away? He doesn't do things like that Harry, He just kills." Ron said all of that as forcefully as he could, hoping that Harry would accept it. Had he been holding this weight on his shoulders for that long?   
  
"Let's change the subject please."  
  
"Not until you tell me that you're okay and you have to mean it, or I'm sending you to Dumbledore."  
  
Harry thought about what Ron had said. "You're right Ron. Actually, although I didn't think it would, this talk helped some. It doesn't stop Voldemort from coming back, but I think it helped me from feeling too guilty. Thanks."  
  
"Don't mention it. What are best friends for? Anyway, who are you going to the dance with?"  
  
"I don't know, how about you?"  
  
Ron turned the color of a tomato, like he always did when he was under pressure. "Umm I'm not sure that she'd go with me."  
  
"Ron stop being a prat and just ask Hermione out. This is getting annoying."  
  
"What are you talking about Harry, why would I ask Hermione to the Ball?" Ron was flushed bright red.  
  
"Oh come on! You don't expect me to believe that you don't like her? I've seen the way you look at her. I also remember a certain incident last year when Hermione went to the ball with Krum and you were jealous. Just ask her out."  
  
"I don't know if I can," Ron mumbled.  
  
"Sure you can. If you don't, then you'll just be upset if Hermione goes with someone else."  
  
"I'll think about it. We better get to Charms." Together they left the room and hurried to class.  
  
* * *  
  
A week later it was time for the ball. Neither Harry or J.D. knew if Ron and Hermione were going to the ball together, and the two refused to discuss it.   
  
J.D. continued going to her room, but she spent more time with her friends and was sleeping better. Harry lost the strange look in his eyes and was much more talkative. Both had decided to go stag to the Ball, J.D. because she was still going on her unpopularity idea and Harry because he just hadn't found anyone he wanted to go with. He knew Malfoy wouldn't let him hear the end of it, but Harry wasn't really thinking much about Malfoy lately.   
  
J.D. was, however. She saw him with her sister constantly and it made her blood boil. The worst part was seeing Malfoy and Crystal walk hand in hand around Hogsmeade and knowing that they were going to the ball together. She tried to block it from her mind, but it wasn't working very well. The hardest thing for her to do was to restrain herself from punching Malfoy again in either Care of Magical Creatures or Potions. Strangely enough, Professor Snape was very polite to her and even though he would never give points to Gryffindor, he never took points away from her either. Sometimes Snape would get a strange look in his black eyes when he looked at her, as if she reminded him of someone.  
  
The evening of the ball, J.D. and Hermione got ready together. J.D. had given up asking her about Ron so they got dressed in silence. Hermione wore the same periwinkle blue robes that she had last year and used lot's of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion to tame her bushy hair. With J.D.'s help she put it in a French braid. J.D. was wearing robes of purple satin and she had pinned back her short curly hair with two glittery barrettes. They walked downstairs to find Harry and Ron getting in a quick game of wizard chess. Harry was wearing his green velvet robes and Ron was wearing new dark blue robes that Fred and George had bought him.  
  
"Ahem," Hermione said, clearing her throat.  
  
The boys looked up and Ron's jaw dropped.  
  
"You look amazing," Ron said to Hermione, blushing.  
  
"Thanks, you look very nice too," she said turning red.  
  
J.D. and Harry exchanged a glance. So they were going together. Good.  
  
The four of them walked out of Gryffindor Tower together and made their way to the Great Hall. It had been cleared of it's usual tables and decorated so that it became a Christmas Wonderland. Harry was looking around at the familiar faces and noted with a smile that Ginny and Neville had come together. He was about to get a drink when someone caught his arm.  
  
"'Arry! You must danse with moi. I am zinking zat zis will be a beautiful ball."  
  
"Umm, sure Fleur. Save me a dance."  
  
Fleur giggled. "But of course, 'Arry."  
  
She walked off leaving Harry very bewildered. Next to him was J.D. looking very pretty in her dress robes. She started to walk away calling out behind her.  
  
"Bye Harry, see you later!"  
  
For most of the evening Harry divided his time between standing at the punch bowl or dancing with pretty much any girl who asked him. He didn't see Cho Chang there and assumed that it would have been too difficult for her without Cedric. As he danced around with Parvati Patil he smiled when he saw Ron and Hermione dancing their eighteenth straight dance in a row, little smiles on both their faces as they chatted. By the end of the dance he was breathing hard and excused himself from the next dance. He made his way over to the punch bowl and sat down. A few minutes later he felt a tap on his shoulder.  
  
"Hey famous Harry Potter. Can I have this dance?" J.D. asked.  
  
"Wouldn't that ruin your 'plan'?" Harry asked with a smile.  
  
"Oh to heck with the plan. It's only one dance, and besides I'll probably be making tons of other girls jealous."  
  
Harry smiled as he shook his head. "You never give up, do you?"  
  
"Nope," J.D. replied, tossing her head. "Why would I want to? It'd take all the fun out of life. So how about it? Wanna dance?"  
  
"Sure, why not?"  
  
They made their way on to the dance floor and concentrated on not falling. Harry was trying not to step on J.D.'s feet and she was trying not to slip on her dress robes. She stumbled a few times, but at least she didn't fall flat on her face. Neither one of them said anything, but they both smiled when they saw Hermione and Ron dance by.  
  
They were moving smoothly, both having finally gotten into the rhythm, when suddenly J.D. stopped.  
  
"Do you hear that?" she whispered.  
  
Harry paused a moment to listen and was surprised to find that he did hear something. It was very faint.  
  
_Come to me children, come and find me_  
  
"Yeah," he whispered back, "what is it?"  
  
"I don't know what it is, but I think I know where it is."  
  
Harry looked around. No one else seemed to bothered by strange, bodiless voices. Harry was reminded of the time in his second year when he heard the voice of a Basilisk in the pipes, and because it was speaking Parseltongue only he could hear it. He remembered what Ron had said then.  
  
"Harry it's not a good thing to hear voices nobody else can hear, not even in the wizarding world."  
  
Was that happening again? Was there another giant serpent running around Hogwarts? But J.D. had heard it too, and Harry didn't think she was a Parselmouth.   
  
"J.D.," Harry whispered, "Are you a Parselmouth?"  
  
"Me? Able to talk to snakes? No. Harry, come with me, I think I know where the voice is coming from."  
  
After four and a half years at Hogwarts, Harry wasn't even skeptical. He followed J.D. as she led him up into a strange corridor, one he had never been in before. What probably surprised him the most was when J.D. walked past a certain wall, the panel slid and revealed a small room. J.D. started inside and Harry grabbed her back.  
  
"Are you crazy? We don't know what's in there!"  
  
J.D. smiled at him. "It's alright. I've been here many times before. Come on in."  
  
The voice had gotten louder. When they entered the room and the panel slid shut, the voice reverberated off the walls.  
  
_You have found me children, you must take care of me. One day you will need me._  
  
J.D. turned and gasped. Sitting on her little mosaic table was a jeweled box, but the box wasn't what made her gasp. When Harry saw it, he too gasped. Inside the jeweled box was a glowing lump of rock.  
  
_Ah, good, you see me children. Use me and protect me well_  
  
J.D. looked at Harry and started shaking. This was very strange. What scared J.D. even more was that she knew the rock from somewhere, but where? J.D. glanced in the mirror to see if Crystal was in her room, but the other room was empty.  
  
Harry was very confused, he had never met a talking rock before. When the voice spoke the rock seemed to glow brighter.  
  
"Who are you? Or maybe I should ask what are you?" Harry asked.  
  
_I am the most effective tool that the Light side has. I am the only way to crush Lord Voldemort._  
  
"Yes, but who are you?" J.D. asked.  
  
_I am the only chance you will have to survive. I am the answer to your problems. I am the Star of Hope  
_


	10. Decisions

Disclaimer: Do you really think that I created Harry Potter? J.K. Rowling is the genius who created Harry's world. I am only responsible for Tolblox, J.D. and Crystal. I'm only 15 so I have no money, please don't sue! (And I swear if I have to keep writing this, then I'm going to have to kill something)  
  
A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long to be posted. But then again not that many people reviewed so I'm not that sorry. C'mon people, R/R! It's not that hard I swear and I really appreciate it.   
  
Thanks a lot to those of you who actually did review, I'm glad you're liking it.  
  
Mere- No offense, but your reviews are getting weirder. :-)  
  
  
Chapter 10:Decisions  
  
  
Harry and J.D. tore out of the room, and ran back to the Gryffindor common room. They needed to talk to Hermione and Ron, but the two were still at the ball. J.D. sat down in one of the squashy purple armchairs and she looked at Harry. Neither of them had spoken since the rock declared itself the Star of Hope. What was bothering J.D. the most was that she knew she had seen the rock somewhere before. Of course! It was the hunk of rock in her vision. That meant that it was very important.  
  
"Harry, I just remembered. The star, it was in my vision!"  
  
"You mean that glowing lump of rock?" Harry said as he tried to remember her vision.  
  
"Yes! Oh my goodness! Harry that star is how you're going to defeat Voldemort!"  
  
"Are you joking with me? The only thing that rock would be good for is if I threw it at Voldemort. Even then it would probably only buy me a few minutes. It's probably just metaphorical or something."  
  
It annoyed J.D. a little that Harry would dismiss something like that without a discussion. The Star of Hope could be very important. J.D. hoped that Hermione would be back soon; she knew that at least Hermione would be excited about their discovery, but judging by the way Ron and Hermione had been dancing together, it would be a long time before either of them returned to the common room.  
  
"Harry aren't you even the least bit curious about the fact that we just discovered a talking rock in my secret room?"  
  
"Of course I am," Harry replied, "and first thing tomorrow morning we're taking it to Professor Dumbledore. You should tell him about the room, too."  
  
"Are you nuts? Why do you want to go running to Dumbledore about this? Do you think that I can't take care of it?"  
  
"J.D. we don't know how the star got into the room in the first place or how the room itself got there. Five years in the wizarding world has finally taught me that we should tell somebody about these kind of things. This could be dangerous, and we have to tell."  
  
"No, Harry. If I tell Dumbledore about the star then I have to tell him about the room and I'm not giving up my room. It's very important to me. This stays between you, me, Ron and Mya. That's it."  
  
Harry looked at her blue-green eyes and saw how determined she was. "Fine, but we have to do some research on this thing, find out what it does and maybe find out how it got into your room."  
  
J.D. relaxed. "That's just what I intended to do. I'm sure Mya can help us, that is when she's not studying for her O.W.L.s."  
  
"Want to play a game of Gobstones?" Harry asked.  
  
"Sure, but then I get to teach you Ding Dong. It's the coolest American game." J.D. tried to push Harry's strange behavior from her mind. Was he feeling okay?  
  
* * *  
  
Harry watched J.D. as she set up her next move. How could he tell her what was wrong? He wasn't the same Harry Potter he usually was. It was a strange reason too. Harry had told Ron he was feeling guilty, and that was true, but he was also having nightmares.  
  
He had nightmares about Voldemort regularly along with pains in his scar. Since Voldemort's resurrection (A/N: I love that word!) the nightmares had occured every night and during the day he had a constant headache. He was feeling miserable and wished with all of his heart that he wasn't the Boy Who Lived.  
  
Harry felt like a hypocrite. He was telling J.D. to talk to Dumbledore when he himself wasn't coming clean. Harry couldn't wait for the Quidditch game tomorrow. There was nothing like flying to take your mind off things.   
  
"J.D., I'm going to bed. It's been a long night."  
  
She smiled. "Alright Harry. Oh, and good luck in Quidditch tomorrow."  
  
"Thanks. Goodnight."  
  
Harry walked upstairs to the fifth year boys dormitory and fell onto his bed. None of the other boys were back yet; they were all at the ball with their dates. Lavender and Seamus went together again and Dean took Parvati. Harry smiled, remembering the Ball last year and how Parvati always led in the dances. He hoped that Neville and Ginny were having a good time and that thought reminded him of another couple.  
  
Harry was thrilled when he found out Ron and Hermione were going together. He kept reliving last year's ball when Ron got very jealous over Viktor Krum and Hermione said, "Next time there's a ball ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!" That sentence went completely over Ron's head, but Harry had understood.  
  
He sometimes wished that he had a girlfriend, but decided that he just hadn't found the right girl yet. When she came along, he'd know. That got him thinking about how his parents decided they were in love. No one had ever told him. He had never been alone face to face with Sirius long enough to ask the question and Harry suspected that talking about his parents caused a lot of pain. The same went for Remus.  
  
Harry shook himself. Where had all of those strange thoughts come from? He buried his face in his pillow and thought, 'Hormones are disgusting."  
  
* * *  
  
The very next morning, J.D. was shaken abruptly awake. As usual she was no ray of sunshine that early in the morning, but she was curious to find out how Hermione's night had been.  
  
"It was wonderful! We danced for so long and then we just took a walk. We talked for what seemed like hours. And about everything imaginable! J.D. it was so perfect."  
  
J.D. was truly happy for her friend, but deep down she was very jealous. J.D. wanted someone to herself the way that Hermione had Ron and even the way Crystal had Malfoy. She liked Harry, but she wasn't sure that he was the one, or that he had any interest in her. She also liked Neville because he was sweet and innocent, but he was just a friend. Oh, well, now was not the time to be thinking about her love life.  
  
"We're going into Hogsmeade tomorrow, want to come?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Maybe. Oh, I needed to tell you what happened to Harry and me last night!"  
  
Hermione smiled. "I noticed you dancing together and then leaving the Great Hall. Is there something you're not telling me?"  
  
"Please, Mya. There is nothing going on between Harry and me. Now listen."  
  
J.D. explained the whole story to Hermione from the strange voice to the rock in the box. When she finished, Hermione let out the breath she had been holding.  
  
"Wow, J.D. this is important! We have to go tell Professor Dumbledore about it."  
  
"Not you too! Harry already suggested that and I told him no. If I tell Dumbledore about the star then I have to tell him about my room and we've already been through that."  
  
"Weeelllll... alright, but the four of us are going to research this star thing until we are sure we know what it is. Are you coming to watch Harry play Quidditch against the Hufflepuffs today?"  
  
"Yeah, oh, and since Harry knows about my room you can tell Ron about it."  
  
They left the room and started down for breakfast, J.D. not even noticing the ritual snubbing by Lavender and Parvati.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry had woken up with butterflies in his stomach, the way he always did before a game. He was excited; it was the first game of the season. The team had practiced hard and Harry really thought they were ready. Angelina had become almost maniacal about their winning today's match, mostly because she felt she had to prove herself.  
  
He hurried down to the Great Hall and sat around for half an hour without eating anything. He tried to ignore the fact that Ron and Hermione were holding hands under the table, he had too many other things on his mind. Down the table the other members of his team were sitting, also without eating. Fred and George Weasley were joking as usual, built up with excitement for their last year. Angelina was tracing her eggs with her fork while Fred, her boyfriend, tried to get her to eat. Their new Keeper sat at the very end of the table, staring at his toast as if he had never seen such a strange sight. Eventually the agonizing breakfast was over and the team made their way to the locker rooms while everybody else made their way to the Quidditch pitch.  
  
Harry didn't really listen to Angelina's pep talk. He was startled when she ended it with, "So let's get out there and win!" and nearly fell off the bench he was sitting on. He rushed outside with his Firebolt and got ready to take off, at the same time trying to listen to Lee Jordan's commentary.  
  
"Mount your brooms please," Madam Hooch said to the two teams.   
  
"Before we begin, I'd just like to say a tribute to Cedric Diggory, seeing as how he was Hufflepuff Quidditch Captain. He was a jolly fellow and a good player. That being said and done, on with the game!"  
  
Harry felt a pang in his chest when he heard Lee's words. Cedric wouldn't have been playing anyway, he told himself, he would have graduated. The thoughts still didn't prevent him from feeling guilty. Those thoughts quickly went away as he rose off the ground. There was nothing Harry loved more than flying.  
  
"Katie Bell of Gryffindor has taken the Quaffle and she streaks up the field, look at her go; she's nothing more than a blur! Atta girl Katie! Neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, look out that's Bludger! Ooh, that must have hurt, it's okay Katie– shake it off!"  
  
"Mr. Jordan!" Professor McGonagall's voice rang out.  
  
"Sorry Professor. Anyway Hufflepuff in possession, now it's time to see what Gryffindor's new Keeper is made of. Will he be as good as previous team captain Oliver Wood? I do believe he's saved it! Excellent move by newcomer Steve Montalvo and it's Gryffindor back in possession. Team captain Angelina Johnson with the Quaffle now, passes to Spinnet, and back to Johnson, come on Angelina! YES! She scores! Ten-zero Gryffindor!"  
  
Harry didn't have much to do except dodge the occasional Bludger sent his way. The Hufflepuff team was sadly disorganized. It seemed as though the new captain did not know how to lead and their new Seeker seemed to barely be able to ride her broom. She was young, a second or third year and Harry believed he would have no problem getting to the Snitch before her. The only problem was that he wasn't sure if he wanted to win. Harry was worried that the Hufflepuffs might resent him for it especially after last year.   
  
"It's Hufflepuff in possession and chaser Donaldson is headed full speed toward the Gryffindor goal posts. Can Keeper Montalvo save it? Yes! Another spectacular save! Go Gryffindor!"  
  
"Jordan, if you don't start commentating in an unbiased way then I'm going to have to replace you!"  
  
"Relax Professor. Gryffindor takes the Quaffle and that's Alicia Spinnet racing up the field. Alicia is an excellent Chaser and quite speedy too. Come on Alicia, score! And Hufflepuff Keeper Nortep dives, he misses! Gryffindor scores, twenty to zero!"  
  
From down in the bleachers J.D. suddenly saw the Golden Snitch. She had been watching the game with intense concentration, and had to grudgingly admit that the new Keeper was good. She had been watching him when she saw the flutter of gold. A moment later Harry had spotted it as well as was barreling down towards it. J.D. watched as he neared it, far ahead of the Hufflepuff Seeker and noticed the indecisive look on his face. What was he waiting for? Another few seconds and the Snitch disappeared. Harry had to swerve to avoid crashing into the other Seeker and two Bludgers aimed at him.  
  
Lee's jaw had dropped. He wasn't the only one. Not one member of the crowd could believe what they had just seen, had Harry really let the Snitch go on purpose? However the game was continuing and the Hufflepuffs managed one lucky shot during the chaos.  
  
"Okay, Gryffindor Seeker narrowly misses the Snitch and Hufflepuff scores making the score twenty-ten Gryffindor. I think the question on everybody's mind is, what just happened, Harry? Anyway, it's Gryffindor with the Quaffle, Katie Bell takes it up towards the Hufflepuff goal."  
  
Katie missed her shot though, and the Gryffindor fans groaned. Luckily, Angelina retrieved the Quaffle and scored, making the score thirty-zero. Harry decided to try and catch the Snitch. Having the Hufflepuffs angry with him was better than having his own house be upset with him. Then he saw it and it was much closer to him than to the Hufflepuff Seeker. He reached out and easily grabbed the fluttering, struggling Snitch. The game was over and they had won.  
  
* * *  
  
A couple of months passed since that Quidditch game. Angelina had given Harry a long lecture about catching the Snitch and only stopped when her voice ran out. Harry had spent the last month researching the Star of Hope with J.D., Ron, and Hermione when they weren't studying for their O.W.L.s. So far they had found very little. A mention here or there in some old history book, but mostly it was referred to as a legend.  
  
The four of them had agreed to meet in the library again to look in the restricted section. They had a hard time getting a note for permission to look there, but Hermione, with J.D.'s help, managed to convince Professor Zebré that they wanted to research some dangerous curses. For purely hypothetical purposes, of course. She had been only too glad to help.  
  
Harry sat down in the library and pulled out his battered copy of Quidditch Through the Ages and began to read it for the umpteenth time until Ron, Hermione and J.D. came in. J.D. looked as if someone had thrown a tornado at her head. Her brown curls were disheveled and she was bright red.  
  
"J.D., what happened?"  
  
"I got into another fight with Malfoy. Snape gave me two detentions. I think it was worth it, though; I gave him a bloody nose and a black eye, that annoying little rodent."  
  
Harry shook his head. "I told you it's no use fighting with him. He's not worth the effort."  
  
J.D. shrugged. "Forget it. Now let's explore the Restricted Section, shall we?"  
  
They took the note to Madam Pince, the librarian, who scrutinized it so thoroughly that Harry was worried she would find something wrong with it. Eventually she let them move into the Restricted Section and they got to work. Harry pulled out a small heavy book and began flipping the pages, stopping every time he saw the word star. Usually it just had to do with constellations.  
  
As they were going through the books, without success, Malfoy walked into the library. He called J.D. over, he said he had an important message. J.D. was pleased to see that he was still a complete mess.  
  
"Look Miller, I didn't want to deliver this message, but I agreed as a favor to your sister. She said for you to meet her you-know-where after dinner. And she told me to apologize." With that he left.  
  
J.D. was dumbfounded. What was Crystal up to?  
  
* * *   
  
After dinner J.D. rushed over to her secret room. This was very important, Crystal hadn't spoken to her in a month. They had avoided each other and pretended that they didn't know one another.   
  
Reaching her room, J.D. checked to make sure no one else was around before opening the panel. She walked inside and relaxed instantly. Looking through the mirror, J.D. saw that Crystal was sitting on an elegant, tall-backed chair, nervously moving her hands.  
  
"Crystal? What is this about?"  
  
"J.D.! Good, you came. I wanted to tell you something very important."  
  
"What was with making Malfoy apologize to me? I hit him!"  
  
"Lay off of Draco. He's not as bad as you think he is."  
  
"He's trouble Crystal and he's going to drag you down!"  
  
"That's not important right now. I need to tell you-"  
  
Just as Crystal was about to reveal something very important, J.D. collapsed in her room. She fell heavily, and started shaking. Crystal cried out in surprise. She knew all of the signs; J.D. was having a vision.   
  
J.D. woke up about a half an hour later. She looked up and saw the face of her sister looking down at her with concern.  
  
"Crystal?" She murmured, "What are you doing here?"  
  
"You had a vision. What was it about?"  
  
"You. You were dead and I was at your funeral. But that can't be true, can it? We weren't even adults, I was still a girl. How did you get in here anyway?"  
  
Crystal could tell that J.D. was still disoriented. "I came in through the mirror. I did a flip and landed on the other side."  
  
"I didn't know you knew gymnastics."  
  
"There's a lot about me you don't know." Crystal said this so softly that J.D. didn't hear her.  
  
"But the funeral, that can't be true, can it Crystal? Crystal?"  
  
"I have to go." Crystal left the room, leaving behind a very confused J.D.   
  
* * *   
  
In an old deserted cabin, in a secluded wood, two men met to discuss business.   
  
"You are sure you will have no trouble getting to the Potter boy? I have heard he is well protected."  
  
"It will not be a problem. He can be quite foolhardy. I simply will have to get him alone."  
  
"Good. The Master will reward you, if you succeed."  
  
"Do we know why he wants the boy? Potter is a danger to the plan."  
  
"The Dark Lord will reveal his plan when the time is right."  
  
"That is correct." The voice that sounded now was unlike the other two.  
  
"Master!" said the first man with suprise.  
  
"Make sure that Krum does not fail, Montalvo, or I will find both of you and do away with you."  
  
"We will not fail you Master," said the second man, visibly trembling from head to toe.  
  
"See that you don't." With that the Dark Lord disapparated.  



	11. Missing and Searching

Disclaimer: Do you really think that I created Harry Potter? J.K. Rowling is the genius who created Harry's world. I am only responsible for Tolblox, J.D. and Crystal. I'm only 15 so I have no money, please don't sue! Et cetera, et cetera.  
  
A/N: This chapter's kind of short, but the next chapter is the most important chapter of the whole story. This was kind of a filler between the last chapter and the next. Duh! I'm really not making much sense, am I? You'll see. Anyway, I'm almost finished! Yea! Don't forget to read my other story Memories of Years Gone By. And I hope you like this chapter.  
  
Chapter 11:Missing and Searching  
  
  
Another month had passed before they knew it and it was time to take their O.W.L.s. Hermione drove Ron round the bend with her obsession over grades and the two had many fights. Harry was simply relieved when the tests were over. For every night prior to the exam, Hermione had been up until dawn in the common room. J.D. had a look that clearly said, 'Get me out of here!' and Ron was alternating between anger at Hermione and frustration at his own lack of concentration. Divination was a nightmare, and Professor Trelawney reached an all time low predicting the deaths of both Harry and J.D. Transfiguration was a grueling test and only Hermione and J.D. felt truly confident about Charms.   
  
Harry was taking a stroll along the lake thinking about his latest letter from Sirius, which had told him of a large Muggle killing in London. Voldemort was back with a vengeance. The only thing that confused Harry was why Voldemort wasn't trying to kill him. It may have seemed a little self centered, but Harry had come to expect an attack on his life at least once every year.  
  
He saw J.D. come from the other direction and walked over to her when she called.  
  
"Harry! Good, I was looking for you. Come over here there's something I want to show you."  
  
Harry noticed something wrong in those usually friendly blue-green eyes, but before he could say anything she cried out in a voice that was quite unlike J.D.'s.   
  
"Stupefy!"  
  
Harry hit the ground and everything went black.  
  
* * *  
  
"Ron, have you seen Harry?" Hermione asked before she kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"Hmm? No I haven't. I assume he's with J.D."  
  
"He can't be. I just saw her in the library."  
  
Ron looked up. "That's strange. I wonder where he could be."  
  
J.D. came back that moment and walked over to her two friends.  
  
"Hey you two. Where's Harry?"  
  
"That's what we were wondering. We haven't seen him for a couple of hours," Ron said worriedly.  
  
"Don't worry. I'm sure he'll turn up," J.D. said confidently.  
  
But by the end of the day Harry was still missing. He hadn't shown up for any of his classes or any of the meals and his friends were getting worried.  
  
* * *   
  
Ron, Hermione and J.D. were very concerned. They had searched all over the school and there was no sight of Harry anywhere. They collapsed on some rocks by the lake, the very place Hermione had taken J.D. to talk.   
  
"Where could he be? Something bad must have happened, we have to tell Dumbledore!" Hermione said.  
  
"I know. I think he was kidnaped. I don't know what to do." J.D. started to cry in frustration.  
  
"I might be of some assistance."  
  
At the sound of that voice all three of them spun around. Hermione and Ron let out sighs of relief at who they saw, but J.D. wasn't quite ready to let her guard down.  
  
"What do you mean Montalvo? You know where Harry is?" J.D. asked.  
  
"I believe I do. It might also interest you to know that Harry is not the only one missing from Hogwarts." Steve Montalvo stood in front of them, his hands wandless and a small smile on his face.  
  
"What do you mean? Who else is gone?" Hermione asked curiously.  
  
But J.D. already knew.   
  
"Crystal," she whispered.  
  
"And Draco Malfoy with her. However they left of their own free will, while Harry did not," Steve explained.  
  
J.D. went right up to him and, disregarding his size, she raised her wand and pointed it in his face.  
  
"Look Montalvo, my sister is very important to me, and Harry is one of my best friends. If Malfoy kidnaped either of them, I want to know where he is so that I can kill him!"  
  
Hermione jumped up to hold back her friend. "J.D. calm down! You are not going to make things better by threatening Steve. He's a Gryffindor, he wouldn't hurt Harry!"  
  
"But he said he knew where Harry is! I want answers!"  
  
Steve had backed up a few paces at the unexpected assault from J.D. When he saw that she had calmed down he spoke again.  
  
"Listen, I believe I know where Harry is and chances are that that is where your sister is as well. Will you trust me?"  
  
"Yes," Ron said without hesitation.  
  
"Yes," Hermione said a second later.  
  
J.D. took a few minutes deciding. She was putting the lives of her friend and her sister in the hands of this boy and she wasn't sure she trusted him. After seeing that she was just wasting time, J.D. added her concurrence and Steve continued.  
  
"My father is a Death Eater," he began.  
  
"I knew we couldn't trust him!" J.D. exclaimed angrily.  
  
"Hold on a moment, I said my father is a Death Eater, not that I am. Look," Steve showed them his forearm. Ron and Hermione seemed convinced, but J.D. didn't understand what that had to do with anything.  
  
"Nice biceps, what does that have to do with you not being a Death Eater?" She asked.  
  
Steve sighed. "If I was a Death Eater then I would have the Dark Mark tattooed on my forearm."  
  
J.D. looked at Ron and Hermione for reassurance and they both nodded. J.D. allowed Steve to continue his story.  
  
"Now, where was I? I live with my father and mother in Scotland. I am, unfortunately, a great disappointment to my father, since I am in Gryffindor. My mother never stands up to my father when he yells or hits and I spend much of my time at home in my room."  
  
"Umm, Steve, I'm sorry and all, but what does this have to do with Harry?" J.D. asked.  
  
"I'm getting there. Ever since I could remember, we have had Dark Wizards visit the house. When they came I was locked in the basement. Now I'm sure you realize that this would stir up some resentment. I hate my father. A week ago, here at Hogwarts, I received a letter from my father. You can imagine my surprise, I could not figure out why my father would be writing me. It turns out that the letter was not for me, but for another Death Eater. Knowing the circumstances of Voldemort's return I had no qualms about reading it. Harry's name was mentioned many times."  
  
Throughout Steve's monologue, J.D. had remained very quiet. Now she found she couldn't contain herself any more.  
  
"So? Where is he?"  
  
"I can't give you directions, but I can take you there," Steve explained.  
  
"How do we know this isn't a trap?" Ron asked, his suspicions aroused.  
  
Steve shrugged. "You can't. You just have to trust me."  
  
J.D. stared him straight in the eyes, and knew that they could trust him. It was an extra talent she had, the ability to see people through their eyes. She didn't often use it because it wasn't always trustworthy. This time, J.D. knew she could trust Steve.  
  
"Alright, I'll trust you. Take us to him. I hope we find Crystal as well." That reminded J.D. of her vision. The star! She needed the star.  
  
"Wait a minute," she said as they were about to leave, "I have to get something." J.D. raced through the castle to her secret room and grabbed the Star of Hope. She then ran up to her dorm and pulled out the bag that Cynthia had given her in the beginning of the year. Abandoning the idea of taking invisibility potion, J.D. ran up to the boy's dorm and 'borrowed' Harry's Invisibility cloak. She put both items in the bag and ran back to the lake.  
  
"Okay, she said huffing and puffing, "Let's go.  
  
"First we have to get brooms. We only need two of them, we will ride two to a broom. Ron, Hermione, do you know how to fly?" Steve asked.  
  
"Herm doesn't, but I do. We'll fly together," Ron replied.  
  
"Good. J.D. you'll fly with me. Things will go quicker. Ron grab a broom and follow me."  
  
J.D. figured that if it turned out Steve was a Dark Wizard she could overpower him, or at least try. Ron summoned Harry's Firebolt from their dorm and got on. Steve, with J.D. aboard, rose off the ground and started flying over the Forbidden Forest. Ron and Hermione followed. They didn't speak much during the trip, it was a tense flight.  
  
They arrived in a circular clearing in the middle of a wood. J.D. hopped off of Steve's Nimbus 2000 and looked around.  
  
"Okay, it doesn't look like there's a trap. Where are we?"  
  
"Of course it's not a trap. I'm not sure where exactly we are, but just over there, down that path, is where they're holding Harry captive."   
  
"Then shouldn't we be headed over there?" Ron asked.  
  
"Yes, you three are going to have to sneak in and find Harry. I'm just not sure how you're going to do it."  
  
"I have Harry's invisibility cloak," J.D. offered, "but why aren't you coming with us?"  
  
"It's too dangerous for me there. Besides, someone has to stay with the brooms," Steve said.  
  
"Okay, we'll come back when we have Harry, and my sister, if she's there."  
  
Hermione, J.D., and Ron set off down the dusty path. After walking for about ten minutes, they saw a stone fortress. It was immense, nearly the size of Hogwarts, and Hermione was sure that it was enchanted.  
"How are we supposed to get in?" Ron asked.  
  
"I have the invisibility cloak, we'll sneak in," J.D. answered  
  
They threw the cloak over themselves and snuck around to the front of the fort. J.D. stopped in her tracks. The doors were huge, solid, and thick, not to mention heavily guarded. They had no way of getting through those doors.  
  
"Now what?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I have an idea," Ron said, surprised at himself.  
  
"What?" Both girls said at the same time.  
  
"We just have to wait for someone else to go through the doors and we follow."  
  
"Of course!" J.D. said.  
  
They had to wait for nearly an hour before anyone showed up. A middle aged witch came up to the doors and gave a password. As silently as possible they snuck up behind her and followed her in.  
  
They were inside Voldemort's fortress!  
  



	12. The Battle

Disclaimer: You know the drill, I obviously didn't create Harry Potter or his world. Other than the plot, very few things belong to me. They belong to the Great J.K. Rowling. All Hail J.K. Rowling!!  
  
A/N: Bum, bum, bum.... The BIG chapter! This is the most important chapter of them all! Please read and tell me what you think. There will be one more chapter after this. Yea, I'm almost done!  
  
Chapter 12: The Battle  
  
  
Harry woke and found himself in a stone circular room. Torch light glowed along the walls and there was a damp, musty lingering smell. When he opened his eyes a flood of pain coursed through his forehead. Harry could not remember what had happened or why J.D. had attacked him. He thought the room looked familiar, but at the same time he was sure he had never been there before.  
  
Carefully moving his hands to get blood flowing again, Harry realized that he had been tied up. Straining his neck in an uncomfortable position, Harry looked at his surroundings; it did not look promising. He tried to size up his situation, but the throbbing pain in his forehead was distracting. Harry realized that J.D. hadn't attacked him, Voldemort , or one of his supporters had.   
  
Harry cursed himself for being so foolish. He had walked headlong into a trap and he hadn't suspected a thing. As Harry was busy scolding himself, he walked in.  
  
* * *  
  
"Okay now that we're in, we have to find Harry," J.D. whispered.  
  
"Why don't we split up?" Hermione suggested.  
  
"Herm, what are you thinking? We can't split up! There's only one invisibility cloak, and we have no idea where we are!" Ron exclaimed.  
  
"Ron, shh! Hermione's right, it's the only chance we'll have to find Harry. You two take the cloak and I'll take my chances. Worst comes to worst if I get caught I'll pretend I want to join up. Now go!"   
  
J.D. watched as her two friends pulled the invisibility cloak over themselves and went down one passageway. She took the other and set off at a quiet jog. Carefully turning the corners, she shivered. The place gave her the creeps. She ran into a wall and fell. Rubbing her nose, she sighed, shuddered and turned. She went back until she found another fork in the hall.  
  
'I hope we can find Harry and Crystal. This place is a maze!' She kept running.  
  
* * *   
  
Voldemort was just as frightening as he had remembered. The pale, flat face with those hideous red eyes, made Harry shake. Wormtail was hiding behind the Dark Lord, as though too petrified to approach Harry.  
  
"Harry Potter, so good of you to wake and join us. I wanted to welcome you personally to my, shall we say, home?"   
  
That cold high voice caused Harry to shiver, though it was quite close in the room. Voldemort was blocking the only exit and Harry's hands were tied. Was this how he was going to die? After everything else, was he just going to die so quickly?  
  
"I have decided, Harry, not to kill you yet. Unfortunately, I do not have the time. I will leave you locked in this room until my return. But, since we are such good friends, I could not leave with out a parting gift. Crucio!"  
  
Harry instantly felt as if someone were sticking a thousand knives into his body. Eventually the pain stopped and the world came back into focus. Harry found that Voldemort had left and locked the door behind him. The only thing he could do now was rest and hope that someone knew where he was.  
  
* * *   
  
J.D. was hopelessly lost. She had no idea where she was going and she felt as though she were running in circles. It was hopeless! Out of breath, J.D. stopped in front of another room. Just to be sure, she peeked inside. It was Harry! It really was; she had finally found him. The only problem was the large door in front of her. Pulling out her wand she tried the unlocking spell.  
  
"Alohomora!"  
  
It didn't work. J.D. hadn't really expected it to, but she thought it was worth a try. Stupid door! This wasn't fair; she could see him and she couldn't get to him. All of her frustration and pent up anger started to fill her. It filled her until she was so angry, that she–  
  
BOOM! The door shook and opened revealing Harry looking haggard and tired. J.D. was startled, she had no idea what had just happened, except that the door was wide open. She hurried in and closed the door behind her. Looking around the room, J.D. realized that this was her vision, this was what she was here for. The weight of that realization caused J.D. to lose focus for a minute. When she regained it, she ran over to Harry and put her hand on his shoulder. He stirred and looked up at her.  
  
"You came for me!" Harry said when he saw her, reminding J.D. of the dreams she had had so long ago, "But you must go or he'll kill you!"  
  
"Nonsense, I'm not leaving without you. Hermione and Ron are around here someplace too. They're looking for you in some other part of the fort. Now let me untie your hands." She worked feverishly as Harry tried feebly to get her out of the room.  
  
"J.D. I hear someone coming, you have to leave."  
  
"No. Here take this." She thrust the star into his hands.  
  
Temporarily distracted, Harry looked at her as if she were batty. "The star? J.D. we don't know how it works! What am I supposed to do with it?"  
  
"I don't know Harry, but it was in my vision so it's important. Just take it. Now let's go!"  
  
There were footsteps coming quickly down the hall.   
  
"J.D. hurry into that wardrobe over there!"  
  
"Harry, I'm not abandoning you–"  
  
"J.D. please, do this for me. Get in there, now."  
  
J.D. stumbled over to the wardrobe and got in just in time. Voldemort entered the room again and was closely followed by Wormtail and Vladimir Krum. Voldemort stood in front of Harry looking down at him. He motioned for Wormtail.  
  
"I told you I would come back Harry. I always keep my word. Untie him Wormtail."  
  
Wormtail bent over and made the motion only to discover Harry was already untied.  
  
"Master? The boy is already untied!"  
  
Voldemort smiled. "Indeed? Practicing to become an escape artist, Potter?"  
  
"Master, perhaps der is anodder person in dis room who has helped him," Krum ventured.  
  
J.D. swallowed. If they checked the wardrobe, then she would have no hope.  
  
Voldemort continued to smile and glanced towards the wardrobe. "Nonsense. I'm sure Harry here was clever enough to do it himself. Now I hope you are ready to die?"  
  
For some strange reason, Harry had the desire to laugh. He felt a strange wish to be nonchalant in the face of danger.  
  
"Don't I get a death wish?" He asked flippantly.  
  
Voldemort thought. "I suppose. What shall it be?"  
  
"If I have to die, I wish to die standing straight and proud."  
  
"Interesting wish. Very well. You know, Harry, many of my followers have questioned my plan for your demise. They wondered if your death was necessary at all. After all, I have your mother's protection, you are no longer a threat to me. However, I take things such as my near demise very personally, so you must die. Rise."  
  
But as Harry rose he pulled the Star of Hope from his robes and cradled it in one hand.  
  
"The Star. That Krum, is what you were supposed to retrieve from Hogwarts. Thank you for bringing it to me Harry, I always knew that you would make a good servant; too bad you have to die," he said as he rose his wand.  
  
'I hope J.D. is right' Harry thought feverishly. He put both hands around the star, and watched in amazement as it started to glow. The light grew, brighter and brighter until the room was flooded in bright white light.   
  
Voldemort let out a cry, and shrank away from the light as if it were painful. In fact, it probably was painful. Harry was very much aware of how the star was draining him of energy, but he continued to hold on. He held the star even higher, aware of how it was negatively affecting Voldemort, when he was struck from behind and the star clattered to the floor. J.D. had to cover her mouth to keep herself from crying out.   
  
"Well done, Krum. It seems you are of some use after all. Now what, or perhaps I should say who, do we have here?"  
  
* * *  
  
Ron and Hermione were also lost. They had wandered in circles and were beginning to think the whole endeavor was pointless.  
  
"I hope J.D.'s having better luck than we are," Ron said glumly.  
  
"Let's just check this room and then we'll take a break," Hermione suggested.  
  
They peeked in the window of the door. The sight inside was one they never thought that they would see.   
  
"Oh, my Lord! Ron, it's Professor Lupin, I mean, Remus!"  
  
"We have to get him out of there."  
  
They tried every spell they knew on the door, but it refused to budge. Ron was about to suggest that they try to break it down when the door opened on it's own. Professor Lupin stood in the doorway looking at them with a bemused expression.  
  
"How did you–?" Hermione asked, confused.  
  
Professor Lupin seemed to understand the question. "The door can be opened from the inside. To prevent escaping there is a force field in the doorway. I can't step through it unless it's turned off. See, anyone can walk in. We simply can't leave again until it is shut down. What are you two doing here anyway?"  
  
"There will be time for that later. Do you know what shuts the force field off?" Ron asked.  
  
"It's an incantation. You have to say, 'Tromedlov drolmai'"  
  
"Tromedlov drolmai" Hermione repeated. The force field came down and the two rushed into the room.  
  
"Oh, Remus! Are you alright? What are you doing here?" Hermione asked.  
  
"It's alright Hermione. I am not hurt. Let me explain my presence here. I am, unfortunately, a Dark creature and consequently very valuable to Voldemort. I was doing some reconnaissance work and was caught by a couple of Death Eaters. Voldemort can smell a Dark creature a kilometer away, so he imprisoned me in here in hopes that I would join his side."  
  
"It's not a full moon, is it?" Ron asked cautiously.  
  
"No, at least we have that to be thankful for. Now, what are you two doing here?"  
  
Ron and Hermione explained the entire situation. Remus' face fell at the news that Harry was missing.  
  
"This is not good. I believe Harry is somewhere in the fort. My guards were discussing a new 'guest'."  
  
"Well, then let's go find him!" Ron exclaimed.  
  
The three of them set off down the corridor.  
  
  
* * *   
  
J.D. nearly passed out at the sight she saw through a crack in the wardrobe. Crystal was standing in the doorway and next to her, looking even paler than usual, stood Draco Malfoy.  
  
"Young master Malfoy, this is somewhat of a surprise. And who have you brought with you? Some fresh blood to join our cause?"  
  
But when the next voice sounded out, it was Crystal, not Malfoy, who spoke.  
  
"My name is Crystal Miller, Lord Voldemort, and I am not here to join your cause, but rather to destroy it."  
  
Voldemort laughed, the laugh that sent chills running down J.D.'s spine. "Quite a sense of humor you have. Tell me, how is a young witch with no extraordinary powers to speak of, going to defeat the most powerful wizard of all time?"   
  
Without responding, Crystal simply raised her left hand. She showed no physical change and did not say a word. Every person in the room watched in amazement as the Star of Hope raised off of the floor and zoomed into her outstretched hand.   
  
She clasped the Star in both hands and J.D. stood in the closet, struck dumb by the sight. The moment Crystal placed her hands around the Star bright, strong cords of purple light shot out of her fingertips and buried themselves in Voldemort's body. Unable to control herself any longer, J.D. jumped out of the wardrobe.  
  
"Crystal, no! Stop!"  
  
Crystal was not listening. At the very moment that Crystal had summoned the orb, Malfoy had made his move towards Harry, only to find his way blocked by Wormtail. When J.D. leapt out of the wardrobe she came face to face with Vladimir Krum. Harry was still unconscious on the floor.  
  
The battle that ensued might have fascinated an impartial viewer, but the six people were battling for their lives. Malfoy was holding his own quite well, however he was unable to get in a strong hex. J.D. said the first spell that came to mind when she began fighting against Krum; it happened to be the spell she performed on Neville. It bought her a few moments, for Krum had no idea why he was suddenly deaf, but soon he was slinging curses at her faster than she would have thought possible. The most interesting combat was between Crystal and Voldemort, however. The Dark Lord seemed to have no way to protect himself from Crystal's onslaught; he was not going to hold on much longer. She, too, seemed to be wilting under the tremendous power she was releasing.  
  
Malfoy managed to stun Wormtail and ran over to help J.D. She could feel the rage building up inside of her and she was about to send a strong curse at Krum when he fell over at her feet. Standing behind him was Draco Malfoy holding a smoking wand. The ground began to shake beneath them and light from the Star of Hope grew stronger and stronger, until the bodies of Crystal and Voldemort were barely visible.  
  
J.D. was struggling to get to her sister, but Malfoy was holding her arm in a surprisingly tight grip. Crystal made no move to turn away. When Voldemort let out an ear-piercing cry, Crystal turned towards J.D. and Malfoy.  
  
"J.D. never forget that I love you. I will always love you. We're sisters, and that bond is stronger than life itself. Draco, get them out of here." She turned her gaze to Draco. "You promised."  
  
Those were the last words J.D. ever heard her sister speak. J.D. cried and screamed, struggling to get to her sister. Malfoy pulled on her arm and dragged her to where Harry was just starting to come around.  
  
"Come on Potter, we have to get out of here. Let's go now!"  
  
Harry stood up in a daze. Malfoy grabbed his arm and started pulling him and J.D. towards the door. J.D. was fighting hysterically to get to Crystal, but Malfoy was stronger. She managed to hook her fingers around the door frame in time to see her last glimpse of Crystal. Voldemort let out a sort of deep hiss and shrank to a pile of robes. J.D.'s last image before Malfoy pulled her away was Crystal, who turned and smiled at her sister before collapsing to the ground. The Star of Hope fell to the floor and shattered into a million pieces.  
  
J.D. screamed, it wasn't a scared sort of scream, but more of an agonized one. It shocked Harry out of his trance in time for him to see Malfoy struggling with an irrational, overwrought, J.D.   
  
"She's your friend, Potter, can't you control her?" Malfoy asked nastily.  
  
"Oh, right, what am I supposed to say, Malfoy? J.D. please calm down while we run away to save our own bums and leave your sister to die. I'm sure that would go over really well!"   
  
"Fine, we'll just have to go with the simplest solution." Malfoy pulled out his wand and stunned her.  
  
"Was that really necessary?" Harry asked.  
  
"It was if you want to get out of here alive. Now hurry up and follow me." He continued down the hallway with J.D. slung over his shoulder.  
  
"What about Ron and Hermione?"   
  
Malfoy sighed. "We'll look for them, I suppose, but if they're caught wandering around here, they have no hope."  
  
"That's an uplifting attitude. Malfoy?"  
  
"What Potter?"  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Malfoy turned causing Harry to bump into him.  
  
"Let's get this straight now, Potter. I did not do any of this for you or for Miller. I only did this for her. Understood?"  
  
Harry nodded and continued walking. He couldn't stop himself from speaking again though.  
  
"Did you love her?"  
  
"None of your business Potter."  
  
"Come on, Malfoy. For once in your life stop hiding behind your tough boy exterior. You can't possibly be unmoved by what just happened. I was unconscious for most of the time and I feel like weeping."  
  
"That's the difference between you and me, Potter. I love her, yes. But I made a promise and Malfoys always keep their promises."  
  
"Fine." Harry would have said more, but he was ambushed suddenly and wrapped into a tight hug.  
  
"Harry! Oh, I'm so glad you're safe! What happened to J.D.? What are you doing here Malfoy?"   
  
"Hermione?" Harry managed to gasp.  
  
"Harry, there you are! We have been looking all over for you! What's he doing here, and why is he carrying J.D.?" Ron asked indicating Malfoy, who still had J.D. slung over his shoulder.  
  
"Never mind. I'll explain later. We have to get out of here."  
  
"Professor Lupin just Apparated to find Professor Dumbledore. They should be here soon," Hermione said.  
  
"What's Professor Lupin doing here?" Harry asked.  
  
"I hate to interrupt this touching reunion," Malfoy interjected, "but have you all gone batty? We're wandering around the Dark Lord's personal fortress, and the only reason that we haven't been caught by a hoard of Death Eaters, that I can see, is that they are probably busy because their leader has been vanquished. That won't last long, so let's hurry."  
  
Startled by Malfoy's brusque and business-like tone, Ron, Harry, and Hermione threw the cloak over themselves and followed him as he led them out of the fort. If he was to be stopped, all he would have to do would be to identify himself and he would be released. They continued down a corridor and were nearly to the entrance when they were stopped by a familiar Death Eater.  
  
"Father!" Malfoy exclaimed in surprise.  
  
"Draco, what on Earth are you doing here? I suppose you've heard the news."  
  
"The news? Oh, yes, of course. Is it really true?" Draco stumbled over his words.   
  
"I am not sure. Why don't you go on home. There's no reason for you to be here and those daft, muggle-loving fools will be here shortly. Who is it that you're carrying, Draco?"  
  
Luckily Malfoy had been taught to think quickly on his feet. "This? Oh, this is a friend of mine Father. She was hurt and I was about to take her to Malfoy Manor."  
  
Lucius Malfoy smiled. "Always a ladies man, eh, Draco?"  
  
Knowing that J.D.'s real friends were standing only a foot away caused Malfoy to cringe before answering. "Of course Father."  
  
"Now be on your way. I have pressing matters to attend to."  
  
Sighing with relief, Malfoy walked passed his father in to open air and freedom. He led the others into the nearby forest from which J.D., Ron, and Hermione had emerged. Harry, Ron, and Hermione took off the invisibility cloak and all three of them gave Malfoy a look.  
  
"A ladies man, Malfoy? Certainly not with that lady. She'd rather beat you up than go out with you," Ron said.  
  
He would have elaborated, but they were joined by Professors Lupin and Dumbledore. Professor Lupin also brought Sirius, who rushed straight over to Harry. Dumbledore came rushing over to the group with a hardened look in his eyes.  
  
"What happened? Where is he?"  
  
"Professor Dumbledore, the last time we saw Voldemort he was in the fortress," Harry paused even though J.D. was still unconscious, "battling with J.D.'s sister Crystal." Dumbledore's eyes opened a little wider at this statement, but he said nothing for a moment.  
  
"I see. I think it would be best if we take the children back to school. I know that there are some very worried professors wondering where their students have gone. These things can be discussed back at Hogwarts. Remus, Sirius, I hope I can trust you to escort them back to school while I check things out around here?"  
  
Both adults nodded their consent and the group headed off into the wood where they met up with Steve Montalvo, who had gone searching for them when he heard the commotion.   
  
"Oh, good, you are all safe. Now we must go back to Hogwarts."  
  
Sirius set a up a portable fireplace that was connected to the Floo network. Each child stepped through, with Steve Montalvo carrying J.D. who was still comatose. Harry breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped into the fire, and immediately regretted it when he thought of the girl who would not be going back.  
  
  
A/N: Hey, Brownie points and a hug for anyone who can tell me what 'Tromedlov drolmai' means. Include it in your review!  



	13. Farewells and Changes

Disclaimer: You know the drill, I obviously didn't create Harry Potter or his world. Other than the plot, very few things belong to me. They belong to the Great J.K. Rowling. All Hail J.K. Rowling!!  
  
A/N: This is the last chapter, wow. It's kinda short cause it's the epilogue. I am very thankful for all feedback and let's say that if I get 35+ reviews for this story then I'll write a sequel. (Just so you know, I would really like more, so don't stop at 35!) I'm going to finish my L/J fic Memories of Years Gon By and maybe write a new one, post Hogwarts possibly.  
  
peace- I don't think she's so Mary Sue anymore. She has tons of character flaws.  
  
And to the person who reviewed, but didn't leave a name- good for you! Brownie points and a hug! I'm glad you like it.  
  
Chapter 13:Farewells and Changes  
  
  
When J.D. awoke, she found herself lying in one of the beds in the Hospital Wing. She had a pounding headache and slightly blurred vision. When she opened her eyes she found she was staring back into the sparkling blue eyes of Professor Dumbledore.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore! Ouch," she said when she sat up too fast. "What am I doing here? What are you doing here? Where's Harry?"  
  
"You are in the Hospital Wing, Miss Miller, because you were unconscious and have been through quite an ordeal. I am here because there are some things we need to discuss and Harry is fine. He, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger are all waiting anxiously to speak with you, however, this meeting must take precedence."  
  
Suddenly the recollection of the previous day's events flooded back to J.D. "Professor Dumbledore, where's my sister, where's Crystal?"  
  
Dumbledore bowed his head and J.D. knew the real reason Professor Dumbledore was there.   
  
"No," she whispered.  
  
"I am afraid, Miss Miller, that your sister is no longer with us. She died heroically, sacrificing her life for those of many. I am sure that does not lessen the pain. I am truly sorry and I will answer any questions you have, any that I am able to answer."  
  
For a long moment J.D. did not speak. She could not speak.   
  
"What, what happened to Voldemort?" she asked when she found her voice.  
  
"There was no trace of either him or any of his followers. Including the two Mr. Malfoy Stunned. They were gone by the time I returned to investigate."  
  
"My sister's... my sister's body?" It came out in little more than a whisper.  
  
"It was found in the fortress. As soon as you are feeling better there will be a proper ceremony. We owled your father in America, but he said he would be unable to attend and that he would meet you at Kings Cross Station at the end of the term. If that is all, I must leave. Madam Pomfrey dislikes it when I monopolize her patients."  
  
"Professor, there's one more thing. How did Crystal do what she did?"  
  
"I believe you are referring to her power using the Star of Hope? Mr. Malfoy explained the entire event in full detail with help from Mr. Potter. I understand that you were unable to find out what exactly the Star of Hope does, so I will explain it to you. The Star of Hope is actually a star. It fell to the earth long ago and was discovered by a powerful druidess. Her name was Cliodna. In addition to the Star's natural power, the witch inserted some of her own, creating a powerful tool against Dark magic. No one knows exactly how she did it, but it became so that Dark wizards were unable to touch it, let alone harness it's powers. The Star was passed down through many generations until it landed in the hands of our very own Rowena Ravenclaw. Rowena used it as protection against Salazar Slytherin when he turned against his fellow founders. She added something of her own to the Star's power; she made it impossible for any of Slytherin's descendants to be near the Star when it was in the hands of good. That way, as long as her blood line held it, they would be protected. It was lost for many years and we may never know how it came into your hands. You probably would not have been able to use it in the same way as your sister did. You see, the Star, being a celestial entity, is a tool for special types of magic."  
  
"Excuse me? I don't understand," J.D. said.  
  
"In addition to the regular magic each witch and wizard possesses, certain magical people have an extra talent. Such as your visions. When a person with an extra magical ability holds the Star in both hands, their power is magnified and focused into raw power. That power is something from which Dark wizards cannot defend themselves. I believe that is why Voldemort was looking for it. He himself cannot go near it, but another could have destroyed it for him."  
  
"You mean that Crystal has, I mean, had another magical power? Besides being a Seer?"  
  
"I'm not sure what it was, it could have been one of many things. As I am afraid you had the misfortune to witness, the use of the Star in that fashion, long enough to vanquish your enemy, is sometimes too taxing. Now, you must rest. Tomorrow you may return to Gryffindor Tower."  
  
J.D. sat in her bed and watched Professor Dumbledore leave the room. She sat very still, unable to accept what she had just heard. Crystal had kept secrets from her. That was not right, it wasn't fair.   
  
"Crystal," she whispered to no one.  
  
* * *   
  
The last few weeks of school went by slowly. A ceremony for Crystal was held as soon as J.D. was ready. Harry didn't remember most of it, but one statement stuck in his mind.  
  
"Crystal Miller was new to our halls, but she had true Hogwarts spirit. She gave her life willingly to protect others and she succeeded. I only regret that she had to die for it. Let us remember her bravery and her kindness. She was an exceptional person, let us never forget her."  
  
In the last few weeks J.D. rarely spoke. She would only speak when someone asked her a direct question and kept her responses to a one word answer. She had forgotten all about her secret room and simply stayed with her friends. They didn't ask her questions, or press her about anything. They understood that she needed their presence, not their words.   
  
J.D. took to wandering the school again. She was wandering one deserted corridor when she realized where she was. It was the corridor that housed her secret room. On a whim she opened the door and breathed in the jasmine smell. She sat on her purple chaise and noticed an envelope on the table where the Star had once been. She picked it up and opened it. The envelope was marked 'Jazzy' and J.D. smiled in remembrance of the nickname Crystal had used when they were younger.  
  
  
_Dear Jazzy, dear sister, dear friend,  
  
If you are reading this letter, then I am no longer with you. I am sure that as you read this you are crying and blaming yourself for my death. I am writing this note so that I can explain a few things to you. I'll start with the most important: why I chose to die.  
  
Almost a year ago I received a vision. It was not the same as yours, in fact, it was stronger. My whole mission was laid out before me. I knew what I had to do, but I also knew I would not live out the year. That took some getting used to.  
  
I started thinking about what in this world I cared for more than my life; My first thought was of you. The most pain I have felt this year was knowing I was hurting you and also knowing I had to continue. I know that you think I betrayed you (or perhaps you will have changed your mind by the time you read this), but it was a necessary action. Jazzy, I never stopped loving you.  
  
As much as I cared about you, I knew that it was my responsibility to fight Lord Voldemort. You are probably wondering how a fourteen year old girl was going to take on a powerful Dark wizard. As you may know by now, I am a fully trained Ravinia. How and where I was trained is not important. I am sorry that I had to keep it from you. I am sorry I had to keep everything from you, but I knew if I confided in you, my sister, you would want me to live. I can't change the future when I already know what is supposed to happen.  
  
Now let me tell you how I put the plan into action. You should know better than anyone that you shouldn't mess with the future. It is extremely important when you know what is to come, so I followed my vision to the letter. The first and most important detail was becoming a Slytherin. I had to, well, threaten the Sorting Hat. As I'm sure you know, the hat can see all of your thoughts and my plan was laid out in front of it. The hat did not want me in Slytherin. Students in the Slytherin house are not self-sacrificing. Finally the hat agreed.  
  
The next part of my plan was to befriend Draco Malfoy. He has the connection with Death Eaters that I needed. I had expected to be miserable, but strangely enough I found a true friend in Draco. I know that you dislike him and he isn't exactly fond of you, but he isn't the nasty selfish boy you think he is. Please remember that if all goes well with the plan, Draco is going to be in a lot of trouble with his father, it may even cost him his life. I told him that, but he insists on helping me.  
  
We have waited until today when Voldemort kidnaped Harry. I know that today is my dying day, but I have come to accept it. All I want is to tell you how much I love you and to request a few favors as my dying wish. First, please cheer up and stop making yourself unpopular. Second, try to be friendly with Draco. He swore to me that he would change his ways (if today's plan works he will have no choice). That's it. Please remember me dear sister, but don't mourn for the rest of your life. I have sent a package that will be delivered to you at the end of term. Be on the lookout for it. I love you forever,  
  
Crystal_  
  
  
J.D. looked up from the letter with tears in her eyes. Crystal had been through all of that? How could she spend a year knowing that she was going to die? If it had been J.D., she never would have gone through with it. She couldn't believe that Crystal had kept her extra powers from her sister, but now J.D. had begun to understand. It was bad enough that Crystal was her younger sister and a Seer, but add to that Ravina magic, and that would have been too much. To have your little sister be more powerful than you would be embarrassing. Or so she might have felt before, but now J.D. wouldn't have cared if Crystal had been an all-powerful cyborg; she just wanted her sister back.  
  
Wiping tears from her face, J.D. put the letter into her pocket and left the room. She avoided looking into the mirror that connected the two spaces. Somehow, without saying anything aloud, J.D. knew that this would be the last time she would ever visit her secret room. It held too many painful memories. She reached the door and turned to look once more at the chamber.  
  
"Goodbye," she whispered as the panel closed shut.  
  
* * *   
  
The end of term came and so did their O.W.L grades. To no one's surprise Hermione had the most O.W.L.s of all the fifth years. Harry and Ron each got a fair amount, but J.D. refused to discuss hers with anybody.   
  
As they sat on the Hogwarts Express, the four friends talked about everything except school. The only people J.D. would really talk to were her friends. They were grateful that she was talking and so they avoided topics that were sure to have her close up again. They ate Every Flavor Jellybeans and talked about their vacation plans.   
  
"What are you going to do this summer J.D.?" Ron asked her.  
  
"I don't know. I'll hang out with my friends probably. Maybe Serena will let me stay with her."  
  
"Why don't you want to stay at your own house?" Hermione asked cautiously.  
  
"My dad's a real pain. I don't like spending time with him and usually I have, I have Crystal to keep me company."  
  
She fell silent after that and Hermione regretted asking the question. J.D. stared out the window thinking of how this vacation would be without Crystal, when an owl flew up to the window of their compartment. It had a package tied around it's legs.  
  
J.D. felt a strange sensation in her stomach and opened the window so the owl could fly in. It waited as she removed the package and letter before flying off again. With her heart pounding, J.D. recognized the familiar scrawl and opened the envelope marked 'Jazzy' first.  
  
_Dear Jazzy,  
  
I wanted you to have something to read on the long train ride to Kings Cross. I also needed some way of getting my gift to you, so I thought this would work. Jazzy, promise me one more thing. When you see Dad, don't let him control you the way he always does. Dad needs to learn that you are a person with your own thoughts and feelings. He needs to change before it's too late and you're the only one who can help him. I love you sister dear,  
  
Crystal_  
  
J.D. turned to the package and opened the wrapping carefully. Inside was a beautiful silver locket. J.D. opened it and saw that inside was a picture of her and Crystal as little children. It was an ordinary muggle photograph from the days when their mother had been enamored with muggle cameras. It brought back so many memories that J.D. started to cry again. Her friends looked at her and realized who the package must have been from.  
  
When they pulled up to the station, J.D.'s eyes were dry. She had a new resolve and felt better than she had in weeks. Spotting Steve Montalvo about to get off of the train, she ran over to him.   
  
"I never got to thank you for taking us to find Harry and my sister. We could never have done it without your help. I also wanted to tell you that you're a pretty great Keeper."   
  
Before she realized what she was doing, J.D. kissed him quickly and then ran off the train to where her father was waiting. She almost lost her nerve, but when she turned and saw Harry smile at her and she thought of Crystal, J.D. felt her confidence come rushing back.  
  
"It's about time you got here, Jasmine. Hurry up and grab your things, we need to catch our flight back to California."  
  
"First of all, Dad, it's J.D. I hate Jasmine and I hate Delilah, so call me J.D. Second, I think we are going to have to make a few changes around the house, starting with..."


End file.
